Robotic carton unloader

ABSTRACT

A robotic carton unloader is configured for automatic unloading of cartons from a carton pile. In various embodiments, the robotic carton unloader may include a mobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector, a conveyor system having a front portion, and a lift attached to the mobile body and the front portion of the conveyor system to move the front portion. In some embodiments, the conveyor system may comprise a front-end shelf conveyor configured to be moved (e.g., raised, lowered, laterally moved, tilted, etc.) relative to the body of the unloader. The front-end shelf conveyor may be moved separately for positioning below the robotic arm in order to receive cartons from a small distance. The front-end shelf conveyor may be moved via various mechanisms (e.g., scissor lifts, pedestal lifts, etc.).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims priority to,co-pending U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/445,964filed Jul. 29, 2014 and entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader” which is acontinuation-in-part of and claims priority to, International PatentApplication Serial No. PCT/US2014/038513 filed May 16, 2014, entitled“Robotic Carton Unloader” which claims the benefit of priority of U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/824,550 filed May 17, 2013,entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, as well as which claims priority toU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/860,209, filed Jul. 30,2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/871,292, filed Aug. 28, 2013, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/894,871, filed Oct. 23, 2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”,U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/894,878, filed Oct. 23,2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/894,889, filed Oct. 23, 2013, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/916,720, filed Dec. 16, 2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”,U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/971,463, filed Mar. 27,2014, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/973,188, filed Mar. 31, 2014, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/023,068, filed Jul. 10, 2014, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader.”This application is also a continuation-in-part of, and claims priorityto, co-pending U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.14/471,688 filed Aug. 28, 2014 and entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/871,292, filed Aug. 28, 2013, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/894,871, filed Oct. 23, 2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”,U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/894,878, filed Oct. 23,2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/894,889, filed Oct. 23, 2013, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.61/916,720, filed Dec. 16, 2013, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”,U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/971,463, filed Mar. 27,2014, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader”, U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/973,188, filed Mar. 31, 2014, entitled “RoboticCarton Unloader”, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/023,068, filed Jul. 10, 2014, entitled “Robotic Carton Unloader.”This application is also a continuation-in-part of, and claims priorityto, co-pending U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No.14/730,926 filed Jun. 4, 2015 and entitled “Truck UnloaderVisualization” which claims the benefit of priority of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 62/007,735 filed Jun. 4, 2014 entitled“Truck Unloader Visualization.” This application also claims priority toU.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/163,949, filed May 19,2015, entitled “Positionable Nose Conveyor for Robotic Truck Unloader”,and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/042,636, filed Aug.27, 2014, entitled “Articulating Nose Conveyor for Truck Unloader”. Theentire contents of all seventeen respective applications identifiedabove are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for handlingproducts, and is more particularly directed to an automatic caseunloader designed to unload product, such as cardboard cases of varioussizes, from within a trailer.

BACKGROUND

Trucks and trailers loaded with cargo and products move across thecountry to deliver products to commercial loading and unloading docks atstores, warehouses, and distribution centers. Trucks can have a trailermounted on the truck, or can be of a tractor-semi trailer configuration.To lower overhead costs at retail stores, in-store product counts havebeen reduced, and products-in-transit now count as part of availablestore stock. Unloading trucks quickly at the unloading docks ofwarehouses and regional distribution centers has attained new prominenceas a way to refill depleted stock.

Trucks are typically unloaded with forklifts if the loads are palletizedand with manual labor if the products are stacked within the trucks.Unloading large truck shipments manually with human laborers can bephysically difficult, and can be costly due to the time and laborinvolved. Consequently, a need exists for an improved unloading systemthat can unload bulk quantities of stacked cases and cargo from trucktrailers more quickly than human laborers and at a reduced cost.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments provide a robotic carton unloader capable ofunloading cartons in a carton pile, such as a carton pile within a trucktrailer. In some embodiments, the robotic carton unloader may include amobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body andincluding an end effector, a conveyor system having a front portion, ana lift attached to the mobile body and the front portion of the conveyorsystem to move the front portion. In some embodiments, the conveyorsystem may include a front-end shelf conveyor configured to be moved(e.g., raised, lowered, laterally moved, tilted, etc.) relative to thebody of the unloader. The front-end shelf conveyor may be movedseparately for positioning below the robotic arm in order to receivecartons from a small distance. The front-end shelf conveyor may be movedvia various mechanisms (e.g., scissor lifts, pedestal lifts, etc.).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitutepart of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of theinvention, and, together with the general description given above andthe detailed description given below, serve to explain the features ofthe present invention.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a robotic cartonunloader maneuvering within a truck to unload product, such as cartonsdepicted as a pile of cartons, stacked within the truck.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the robotic carton unloader of FIG. 1taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing a carton being unloaded from thepile of cartons and discharged onto an unloading dock conveyor.

FIG. 3 is a partial side sectional view of the robotic carton unloaderof FIG. 2, showing a portion of a conveyor system pivoted upwards.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a manipulator of the robotic cartonunloader of FIG. 1, showing movements of portions of the manipulator.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the manipulator of FIG. 4, showing aspreading movement of the manipulator.

FIG. 6 is a partial side sectional view of the robotic carton unloaderof FIG. 2, showing a rotating front roller lifting a carton from a floorof the truck.

FIG. 7 is a partial side sectional view of an alternate embodiment of arobotic carton unloader having a roller with corners and a carton scoop.

FIGS. 8-13 are a series of block diagrams showing a vacuum manipulatorin operation as it grasps, draws, and drops cartons.

FIG. 14 is a right side sectional view of another robotic cartonunloader including a vacuum manipulator according to an embodiment.

FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulatorof FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the left side of the vacuum manipulatorof FIG. 14.

FIG. 17A is an isometric view of an embodiment vacuum rod.

FIG. 17B is a side view of the vacuum rod of FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18A is an isometric view of another embodiment vacuum rod.

FIG. 18B is a side view of the vacuum rod of FIG. 18A.

FIG. 19 is a partial isometric view of the right side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 14 illustrating internal features according to anembodiment shown through a clear top cover.

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulatorof FIG. 14 with a second bank of vacuum rods extended.

FIG. 21 is a side sectional view of the right side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulatorof FIG. 14 with the top cover and various vacuum rods removed forclarity of illustration.

FIG. 23 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulatorof FIG. 22 with a second bank of vacuum rods, the right side bank ofvacuum rods, and the sliding shelf extended.

FIG. 24 is an isometric view of the left under-side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 14 with the sliding shelf and first, second, andthird banks of vacuum rods extended.

FIG. 25 is an isometric view of the left under-side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 24 with the sliding shelf extended and first,second, and third banks of vacuum rods retracted.

FIG. 26A is a partial top view of the left side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 14 in contact with a carton pile at a first timeduring carton removal operations.

FIG. 26B is a side sectional view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG. 26A.

FIG. 27A is a partial top view of the left side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 26A in contact with the carton pile at a second timeduring carton removal operations.

FIG. 27B is a side sectional view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG. 27A.

FIG. 28A is a partial top view of the left side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 27A in contact with the carton pile at a third timeduring carton removal operations.

FIG. 28B is a side sectional view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG. 28A.

FIG. 29A is a partial top view of the left side of the vacuummanipulator of FIG. 28A in contact with the carton pile at a fourth timeduring carton removal operations.

FIG. 29B is a side sectional view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG. 29A.

FIG. 30A is a partial front side view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG.14 with the right side bank of vacuum rods retracted.

FIG. 30B is a partial front side view of the vacuum manipulator of FIG.30A with the right side bank of vacuum rods extended.

FIG. 31 is a right side sectional view of the robotic carton unloader ofFIG. 14 extended to remove cartons from a floor of the truck.

FIG. 32A is a right side isometric view of a pivoting shelf according toan embodiment.

FIG. 32B is a left under-side isometric view of a pivoting shelfaccording to an embodiment.

FIGS. 33A-C are right side views of a pivoting shelf transitioning froma rotated down state to a rotated up state.

FIG. 34 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method forcontrolling a robotic carton unloader including a vacuum manipulator.

FIGS. 35A-35B are diagrams illustrating perspective views of embodimentrobotic carton unloaders with robotic arms, mobile bodies, and conveyorsystems.

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating perspective view of a robotic cartonunloader maneuvering within a truck to unload items, such as cartonsdepicted as a pile of cartons, stacked up within a front of the truckaccording to various embodiments.

FIGS. 37A-37C are diagrams illustrating perspective views of a conveyorsystem including descramblers, a mobile body, and a robotic arm of arobotic carton unloader according to various embodiments.

FIGS. 37D-37F are diagrams illustrating top views of an embodimentrobotic carton unloader configured with a robotic arm and a conveyorsystem capable of translating laterally.

FIG. 37G is a diagram illustrating a partial view of the top view of therobotic carton unloader accessing a side item with a side manipulator(e.g., a cup) of a manipulator head (e.g., a vacuum manipulator head) ofa robotic arm configured to move laterally.

FIG. 38 is a perspective diagram illustrating a robotic arm, head unitand counterbalancing unit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 39A is a diagram illustrating a side view of a robotic arm, headunit, and counterbalancing unit mounted on a base unit including adescrambling conveyor unit showing a retracted position of the roboticarm and the counterbalancing unit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 39B is a diagram further illustrating a side view of a robotic arm,head unit, counterbalancing unit of FIG. 39A showing an upward extendedposition of the robotic arm and the counterbalancing unit in the variousembodiments.

FIG. 39C is a diagram further illustrating a side view of a robotic arm,head unit, counterbalancing unit of FIG. 39A and FIG. 39B, showing adownward extended position of the robotic arm and the counterbalancingunit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 39D is a diagram further illustrating a side view of a robotic arm,head unit, counterbalancing unit of FIG. 39A, FIG. 39B and FIG. 39C,showing a downward extended position of the robotic arm and thecounterbalancing unit during engaging a carton in the variousembodiments.

FIG. 40A is a diagram illustrating a side view of the counterbalancingunit in a partially extended state coupled to a robotic arm in aretracted state and further coupled to a base unit and control unit inthe various embodiments.

FIG. 40B is a diagram further illustrating a side view of thecounterbalancing unit of FIG. 40A in a neutral state coupled to arobotic arm in a neutral state and further coupled to a base unit andcontrol unit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 40C is a diagram further illustrating a side view of thecounterbalancing unit of FIG. 40A in an extended state coupled to arobotic arm in an extended state and further coupled to a base unit andcontrol unit in the various embodiments.

FIGS. 40D and 40E are diagrams illustrating additional details of anembodiment robotic carton loading system.

FIG. 41A is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of element detailsof a robotic carton unloading system including a manipulator head andpivot drive motor in embodiments.

FIG. 41B is a diagram illustrating a top view of a laterally mobile headunit engaging a carton positioned on the side of the head unit in thevarious embodiments.

FIG. 41C is a diagram further illustrating a top view of a laterallymobile head unit disengaged from a carton positioned on the side of thehead unit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating a top view of a conventional pivotingmaterial handling arm on an axis with zones of inaccessibility.

FIG. 43 is a diagram illustrating a top view of a robotic arm andlaterally mobile head unit in the various embodiments.

FIG. 44A is diagram illustrating a perspective view of a conveyor systemincluding descramblers according to various embodiments.

FIG. 44B is diagram illustrating a top view of a conveyor systemincluding descramblers according to various embodiments.

FIG. 45A is diagram illustrating a top view of a conveyor systemincluding a front-end descrambler configured to move laterally accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 45B is diagram illustrating a top view of a conveyor systemincluding a front-end descrambler configured to pivot according to anembodiment.

FIG. 46 is a top view diagram illustrating various zones of aherringbone-type central descrambler according to various embodiments.

FIG. 47 is diagram illustrating a bottom view of a herringbone-typecentral descrambler according to various embodiments.

FIGS. 48A-48D are top views illustrating various roller speedsassociated with sections of a herringbone-type central descrambleraccording to various embodiments.

FIG. 49 is diagram illustrating a perspective view of a mid-section of aherringbone-type central descrambler according to various embodiments.

FIGS. 50A-50B are diagrams illustrating perspective views of a roboticcarton unloader equipped with a front-end descrambler of a conveyorsystem according to various embodiments.

FIGS. 51-53 are diagrams illustrating perspective views of a front-enddescrambler of a robotic carton unloader having wings (or outer rows) invarious states of rotation (or folding) according to variousembodiments.

FIGS. 54A-54C are diagrams illustrating front views of a front-enddescrambler of a robotic carton unloader having wings (or outer rows) invarious states of rotation (or folding) according to variousembodiments.

FIGS. 55A-55C are perspective diagrams illustrating a front-enddescrambler of a robotic carton unloader used within different trucktrailers of various widths according to various embodiments.

FIG. 56 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a front-enddescrambler of a robotic carton unloader according to variousembodiments.

FIGS. 57A-57B are diagrams illustrating side views of a robotic cartonunloader configured with components to lift (or lower) a front-enddescrambler at different angles according to various embodiments.

FIG. 58 is a diagram illustrating perspective view of items being movedvia a front-end descrambler of a robotic carton unloader in accordancewith various embodiments.

FIGS. 59A-59D are diagrams illustrating a progression of items travelingover a period on a front-end descrambler of a robotic carton unloader inaccordance with various embodiments.

FIGS. 60A-60F are diagrams illustrating side views a robotic cartonunloader including a robotic arm and conveyor system including afront-end shelf conveyor according to some embodiments.

FIG. 61 is a diagram illustrating a front view of a front-end shelfconveyor, scissor lift, lift actuators, and linear slide according tosome embodiments.

FIG. 62A-62B are diagrams illustrating side views of front-end shelfconveyor in various positions (e.g., full raised, full down) accordingto some embodiments.

FIG. 63 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a robotic cartonunloader with a conveyor system including a front-end shelf conveyoraccording to some embodiments.

FIGS. 64A-64C are diagrams illustrating side views of a robotic cartonunloader maneuvering within a truck to unload items using a conveyorsystem including a front-end shelf conveyor according to variousembodiments.

FIG. 65 is a diagram illustrating a side view of a robotic cartonunloader with a conveyor system including a front-end shelf conveyor,wherein a pivoting pedestal of a front support is partially extendedaccording to various embodiments.

FIG. 66 is a diagram illustrating a side view of a robotic cartonunloader with a conveyor system including a front-end shelf conveyor,wherein a pivot actuator is configured to pivot a pivoting pedestalaccording to some embodiments.

FIG. 67 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a front-endshelf conveyor having a fully-extended pivoting pedestal according tosome embodiments.

FIG. 68 is a diagram illustrating a side view of a front-end shelfconveyor having a pivoting pedestal according to some embodiments.

FIG. 69 is a diagram illustrating a side view of a front-end shelfconveyor having a pivoting pedestal and belt drive according to someembodiments.

FIG. 70 is a diagram illustrating a side view of a front-end shelfconveyor having a retracted pivoting pedestal according to someembodiments.

FIG. 71A-71B are diagrams illustrating side views of a robotic cartonunloader with a conveyor system including a front-end shelf conveyor,with a pivoting pedestal in various configurations according to someembodiments.

FIG. 72 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a front-endshelf conveyor having a lateral actuator pivotally mounted on an end ofa pivoting pedestal according to some embodiments.

FIGS. 73A-73B are diagrams illustrating front views of a front-end shelfconveyor, wherein a front portion is attached to a lateral actuator invarious positions (e.g., central position, side-biased position)according to some embodiments.

FIG. 74A-74C are diagrams illustrating top views of a conveyor systemincluding a front-end shelf conveyor configured to move laterallyaccording to some embodiments.

FIGS. 75A-75C are diagrams illustrating top views of guides configuredto adjust based on lateral movements of a front-end shelf conveyoraccording to some embodiments.

FIG. 76 is a perspective view of components of a robotic carton unloaderincluding a front-end shelf conveyor configured to move laterallyaccording to some embodiments.

FIGS. 77A-77B are diagrams illustrating perspective views of componentsof a robotic carton unloader including a stop bar configured to rotate(or pivot) to various positions with regard to cartons moving on top ofa front-end shelf conveyor according to some embodiments.

FIG. 78 is a perspective view of a stop bar of a front-end shelfconveyor according to some embodiments.

FIG. 79 is a perspective view of kick rollers of a front-end shelfconveyor according to some embodiments.

FIG. 80 is a processor flow diagram of an embodiment method executed bya computing device of a robotic carton unloader.

FIG. 81 is a component block diagram of elements of a robotic cartonunloader suitable for use in various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, like reference characters designate likeor corresponding parts throughout the several views. Also, in thefollowing description, it is to be understood that terms such as front,back, inside, outside, and the like are words of convenience and are notto be construed as limiting terms. Terminology used in this patent isnot meant to be limiting insofar as devices described herein, orportions thereof, may be attached or utilized in other orientations.References made to particular examples and implementations are forillustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of theinvention or the claims. It should be appreciated that any patent,publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that issaid to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein onlyto the extent that the incorporated material does not conflict withexisting definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forthin this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosureas explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting materialincorporated herein by reference.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example,instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as“exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred oradvantageous over other implementations.

FIGS. 1-6 generally show an embodiment of a robotic carton unloader 100for unloading cartons 12 from within a truck or semi-trailer 10. Forinstance, robotic carton unloader 100 may be configured to be driveninto semi-trailer 10, dislodge or remove cartons 12 from carton wall orcarton pile 11 stacked on floor 18 of semi-trailer 10, and transfer orunload the dislodged cartons 12 from semi-trailer 10. Cartons 12 maythen be transferred into a store, warehouse or distribution centerunloading bay. Cartons 12 may be any kind of product container forconveying products such as, but not limited to, cardboard cartons.Robotic carton unloader 100 may include a mobile body 120 sized andconfigured to be driven in and out of semi-trailer 10. Roboticallycontrolled carton remover system 160 may be positioned on mobile body120 and may extend from mobile body 120 toward carton pile 11 todislodge and unload cartons 12 from carton pile 11. For instance,robotically controlled carton remover system 160 may dislodge and unloadcartons 12 from a front and a top of carton pile 11. Carton guide system175 may be located adjacent to (e.g., below) carton remover system 160to catch cartons 12 as they are dislodged from pile 11. Carton guidesystem 175 may also guide cartons 12 onto and along conveyor system 135that may extend from one end of robotic carton unloader 100 to the otherend of robotic carton unloader 100. Conveyor system 135 may dischargeunloaded cartons 12 at the end portion of robotic carton unloader 100for collection (e.g., by laborers) or to a distribution center conveyor19. Control and visualization system 180 may be provided to control andautomate the unloading process, and to operate robotic carton unloader100. Each of these components will be discussed in further detail below.

Mobile Body

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, mobile body 120 of robotic carton unloader100 comprises chassis 121 movably supported on a four wheelconfiguration with each wheel 122, 123, 124, 125 adjacent to a corner ofchassis 121. As an example, the chassis 121 may be a generallyrectangular chassis with each wheel 122, 123, 124, and 125 adjacent to acorner or the rectangle. Angled plate 128 may be elevated above acentral portion of conveyor system 135 and may extend across chassis 121(e.g., transversely across chassis 121) for the attachment ofrobotically controlled carton remover system 160 thereto. A first drivemotor and a second drive motor 127 (e.g., a drive system) may begenerally located inboard from sides (e.g., the left side and the rightside) of robotic carton unloader 100. The first drive motor may beconfigured to drive wheel 122, while second drive motor 127 may beconfigured to drive wheel 123. Other wheels, such as wheels 124, 125,may be configured to freewheel. Accordingly, drive motors, such as thefirst drive motor and the second drive motor 127, may drive and steerrobotic carton unloader 100 within semi-trailer 10. As examples,rotating the first drive motor and the second drive motor 127 in thesame direction may drive robotic carton unloader 100 forward orbackward, rotating the first drive motor and the second drive motor 127in opposite directions may pivot robotic carton unloader 100 about apoint centered between drive wheels 122, 123, and rotating one of thefirst drive motor or the second drive motor 127 may pivot robotic cartonunloader 100 about the opposite undriven drive wheel 122 or 123.

Conveyor System

As best seen in FIG. 2, conveyor system 135 includes a plurality ofindependently controlled conveyors to transport cartons 12. For example,the independently controlled conveyors may define an elongated “Z” shapeconveyor system. In an embodiment, conveyor system 135 may be wider atthe front (e.g., at the end of the conveyor closest to the carton pile11) to receive cartons 12, and may narrow moving toward the rear (e.g.,at the end of the conveyor farthest from the carton pile 11) alongconveyor system 135. The narrowing of conveyor system 135 may positionthe unloaded cartons 12 in a line for discharge. Conveyor system 135 maycomprise a rear portion 136 a fixed relative to chassis 121, and a frontportion 136 b pivotally mounted to, and extending from, chassis 121.Rear portion 136 a of conveyor system 135 may comprise a rear conveyor137 and central conveyor 138. Rear conveyor 137 may comprise a portion137 a (e.g., a horizontal portion) that may be aligned with distributioncenter conveyor 19 for unloading cartons 12. Rear conveyor 137 mayfurther comprise a portion 137 b that is inclined to couple portion 137a with central conveyor 138. Central conveyor 138 may be positionedproximal (e.g., horizontal) to trailer floor 18 and may extend throughchassis 121 from rear conveyor 137 to front portion 136 b of conveyorsystem 135. Motor 139 may be coupled with rear conveyor 137 to driverear conveyor 137, and motor 140 may be coupled to central conveyor 138to drive central conveyor 138. As will be apparent to one with ordinaryskill in the art in view of the teachings herein, any suitable number ofmotors 139, 140 may be used to drive conveyors 137, 138.

Conveyor arms 141 may pivotally extend (e.g., in a front directiontoward the carton pile 11) from chassis 121 to support front portion 136b of conveyor system 135. Conveyor arms 141 may be rotatable about pivot145. Front portion 136 b of conveyor system 135 may comprise trailingconveyor 142 and leading conveyor 143. Conveyors 142, 143 may bepositioned end-to-end between conveyor arms 141 to transport cartons 12along conveyors 142, 143. Roller 144 may be positioned adjacent thedistal end of leading conveyor 143 and may be configured to load cartons12 onto leading conveyor 143. Roller 144 may be generally cylindricaland may extend transversely across an end of conveyor arms 141. Roller144 may be powered by roller drive motor 147 coupled with conveyor arms141. Leading motor 148 and trailing motor 149 are coupled with conveyorarms 141 to drive leading conveyor 143 and trailing conveyor 142respectively.

Conveyor wheel 150 may be coupled with conveyor arms 141 to supportfront portion 136 b on trailer floor 18. Lift 151 may operably connectbetween chassis 121 and conveyor arms 141 to lift the front portion 136b of conveyor system 135 off of the trailer floor 18 to any angularposition relative thereto, such as but not limited to the angularposition shown in FIG. 3. During operation, front portion 136 b may beangled upwardly or downwardly relative to central conveyor 138. Forinstance, the angular position of front portion 136 b may be adjusted tomeet the changing height of carton pile 11. The front portion 136 b maybe angled to remain below the carton guide system 175. When carton pile11 is at a maximum, the angular position is at a maximum, and whencarton pile 11 is at a minimum, the angular position is at a minimum. Asshown in FIG. 3, pivoting upstream portion 136 b to an angular positionmay shorten the fall distance of carton 12 as it exits carton guidesystem 175 to fall or drop onto conveyor system 135. Lift 151 may be anelectrical actuator such as a motor, but is not limited thereto.

Robotically Controlled Carton Remover System

Turning to FIGS. 1-4, robotically controlled carton remover system 160may be configured to reach out (e.g., extend) from robotic cartonunloader 100 to dislodge one or more cartons 12 (e.g., a plurality ofcartons 12) from carton pile 11 with manipulator 162. As best seen inFIG. 3, manipulator 162 may be movably attached to a free end of roboticpositioner 163. Base 163 a of robotic positioner 163 is disposedadjacent angled plate 128 overlying central conveyor 138 of conveyorsystem 135. Robotic positioner 163 and manipulator 162 may be controlledby control and visualization system 180, and may be configured todislodge or unload cartons 12 from anywhere on carton pile 11. Theoperating areas of robotic positioned 163 and manipulator 162 may extendfrom side-to-side and from floor-to-top of semi-trailer 10. Roboticpositioner 163 may be any available robotic arm with at least fourdegrees of motion, such as the exemplary FANUC® Robot R-1000ia sold byFANUC® Robotics America Corporation, 3900 West Hamlin Road, RochesterHills Mich. 48309-3253.

As shown in FIG. 4, manipulator 162 may be rotatable about a wristrotation joint 164 to rotate manipulator 162 about longitudinal axis A.Manipulator 162 may be further pivotable about wrist pivot joint 165 topivot manipulator 162 about axis B oriented transverse to axis A.Manipulator 162 includes base 166 with at least one actuatable element,such as a claw 167 or finger, extending therefrom. As shown in thisembodiment, base 166 may have two or more actuatable elements, such asthree fingers 167, pivotally mounted to base 166 at their respectiveproximal ends. First actuator 168 may be connected to each actuatableelement, such as each of fingers 167, to pivot fingers 167 downwardlyrelative to hand 166 about respective axes C, which is spaced from axisB as shown in FIG. 4. Second actuator 169 may be attached to hand 166and to each of fingers 167 for spreading fingers 167 apart about axis Dwhich is oriented transverse to axis C as shown in FIG. 5. First andsecond actuators 168, 169 may be, but are not limited to, electric orfluidic actuators. Fluidic actuators of the embodiments may operate withcompressible fluids or with incompressible fluids.

Carton Guide System

Carton guide system 175 may be configured to guide unloaded or dislodgedcartons 12 through robotic carton unloader 100, as shown in FIGS. 1 and2. Carton guide system 175 may comprise a shelf 176, for example acarton deceleration skirt, located between carton remover system 160 andconveyor system 135. Shelf 176 comprises may comprise a surface 174. Forexample, the surface 174 may be a non-vertical surface, such as a curvedsurface. The shelf 174 may be configured to catch falling cartons 12 andguide the sliding dislodged cartons 12 onto conveyor system 135. Shelf176 may be constructed from materials having a coefficient of frictionconfigured to decelerate s18 cartons 12 sliding thereon without stoppingthe sliding motion of cartons 12. Shelf 176 may be formed from variousmaterials. As examples, shelf 176 may be formed from bendable ordeflectable materials such as a fabric, a flexible plastic sheet, apleated collapsible structure, etc. Carton guide system 175 may furthercomprise a pair of conveyor guides 177 positioned on each side ofconveyor system 135. Conveyor guides 177 extend from conveyor arms 141of front portion 136 b of conveyor system 135 and may narrow toward atthe rear portion 136 a to guide cartons 12 onto conveyor system 135.

A frame 178 of carton guide system 175 may be pivotally attached toangled plate 128 of mobile body 120 (e.g., at a front side of angledplate 128 oriented toward the carton pile 11) such that carton guidesystem 175 extends outwardly from mobile body 120. In an embodiment,frame 178 may be generally U-shaped and may comprise a pair of framearms 178 a and 178 b extending outwardly and spreading wider therefrom.Frame arms 178 a and 178 b may terminate at a cross member such asbumper 170 extending rigidly between frame arms 178 a and 178 b (e.g.,from side to side at a front end closest to the carton pile 11). Bumper170 may include outer cover 170 a over a rigid core and may rotate. Inone embodiment, at least a portion of bumper 170 may be a deflectablematerial such as an elastomer or a foam. Curved arrows are provided inFIG. 2 to show the directions of the pivotal motion of frame arms 178 a,178 b relative to mobile body 120.

The previously described shelf 176 may be suspended from frame 178.Frame lift 179 may connect between the frame 178 and the angled plate128 (see FIG. 1) to raise and lower frame 178, bumper 170, and shelf 176(see arrows FIG. 2). Frame lift 179 can be an electrical actuator suchas a motor but is not limited thereto. As will be described in greaterdetail later, frame lift 179 may place bumper 170 against the wall ofcarton pile 11 below cartons 12 being removed to stabilize the wall ofcarton pile 11 below the cartons 12 being removed. The deflectionproperties of shelf 176 may provide robotically controlled cartonremover system 160 access to cartons 12 resting on trailer floor 18 whenshelf 176 is lowered into contact with at least part of conveyor system135 and collapses or reduces in height from the contact.

Control and Visualization System

Control and visualization system 180 may coordinate and control all ofthe functions of the systems of the robotic carton unloader 100. Controland visualization system 180 may be configured to operate robotic cartonunloader 100 to automate at least a portion of the unloading process.Control and visualization system 180 may include control module 181,power supply 182, and robotics controller 183, positioned within chassis121. Control and visualization system 180 provides timing, sequencing,homing routines, and motion control for drive motors 126, 127, conveyordrive motors 139, 140, 148, 149, roller drive motor 147, front lift 151,frame lift 179, robotic positioner 163 and manipulator 162.

Operator interface 185 may be coupled with chassis 121 and extendsinwardly above a portion of conveyor system 135. Operator interface 185may include joystick 186, display 187, and keypad 188. Joystick 186 maybe a multi-purpose control and can be configured to control movement ofrobotic positioner 163 and manipulator 162. Joystick 186 may bereconfigured (via selections on keypad 188) to steer, drive, and stoprobotic carton unloader 100. Display 187 may display a wide variety ofinformation that includes but is not limited to error messages,calibration information, status indicators, systems fault warnings, andcan display lines of software code entered or edited on keypad 188.Keypad 188 may be used to enter software code for motion control of therobotic arm, conveyor system 135, drive motors 126, 127, lifts 151, 179,and conveyor drive motors 139, 140, 148, and 149.

Control and visualization system 180 may include visualization sensorssuch as a wall proximity sensor 193 for preventing robotic cartonunloader 100 from colliding with the wall of carton pile 11. Wallproximity sensor 193 may be an electrical sensor attached to at leastone of conveyor guides 177, such as at a front of the robotic cartonunloader 100, for measuring proximity between the at least one proximitysensor 193 and carton pile 11. When wall proximity sensor 193 sensesthat robotic carton unloader 100 is at a desired distance from cartonpile 11, control and visualization system 180 may stop robotic cartonunloader 100.

Upper carton sensor 189 may be mounted on frame 178 to indicate contactof frame 178 with carton pile 11. Upper carton sensor 189 may be acontact switch adjacent to bumper 170 that trips when bumper 170contacts the face of carton pile 11. Or, in another embodiment, uppercarton sensor 189 may be a distance sensor that detects a distance tothe face of carton pile 11. An angle position indicator may connectbetween angled plate 128 and frame 178 to indicate an angle betweenangled plate 128 and frame 178. When bumper 170 is contacting cartonpile 11, the angle position indicator may provide control andvisualization system 180 with angular positional data that can be usedto compute the location of the wall of carton piles 11 relative torobotic carton unloader 100 and manipulator 162 of roboticallycontrolled carton remover system 160. As an example, the angle positionindicator may be a potentiometer.

Carton sensor 191 may be attached to base 166 of manipulator 162 (FIG.5) so that the carton extraction or unloading area adjacent tomanipulator 162 may be viewed or scanned. For instance, carton sensor191 may measure the distance to a selected carton 12 so that manipulator162 may be appropriately positioned to extract or unload the selectedcarton 12. In an alternate embodiment, carton sensor 191 may be a cartonedge detector. A visualization sensor may be attached to angled plate128 of chassis 121 for viewing the inside of semi-trailer 10,robotically controlled carton remover system 160 and cartons 12 withincarton pile 11.

Operation

During operation, an operator may start robotic carton unloader 100 toinitiate a startup and homing sequence to verify operation of thevarious systems and to move systems components to a home position. Forexample, control and visualization system 180 may undergo test routinesto calibrate and home robotically controlled carton remover system 160,to pivot and position frame 178 behind a leading edge of robotic cartonunloader 100, and to test activate conveyors of conveyor system 135.After the startup tests and homing routines are completed, the operatormanually may select a drive selection on operator interface 185, anduses joystick 186 to steer and drive robotic carton unloader 100 intosemi-trailer 10. Robotic carton unloader 100 may be advanced intosemi-trailer 10 until the at least one proximity sensor 193 signals tothe operator, via control and visualization system 180, that roboticcarton unloader 100 is positioned adjacent to carton pile 11.

Upper carton sensor 189 may be used to identify a height and a front ofcarton pile 11, and control and visualization system 180 can use thisinformation to position manipulator 162 adjacent to the identifiedposition of carton pile 11. Carton sensor 191 on manipulator 162 mayrescan carton pile 11 to refine the carton location data to ensureaccurate selection and unloading of cartons 12.

FIG. 2 shows robotic carton unloader 100 unloading cartons 12 fromsemi-trailer 10 and the arrows are provided to show the paths of aplurality of cartons 12 a-12 h as they are unloaded from carton pile 11and through robotic carton unloader 100. In FIG. 2, control andvisualization system 180 selected carton 12 a for unloading from cartonpile 11 (e.g., the top of the carton pile 11), and roboticallycontrolled carton remover system 160 is raking or dislodging carton 12 afrom carton pile 11.

Carton 12 a may be tipped and drawn back by manipulator 162 towardsshelf 176. Note that bumper 170 of carton guide system 175 may bepressed (e.g., deliberately) against carton pile 11 directly belowcarton 12 a to stabilize carton pile 11 therebelow. Once the top row ofcartons 12 is removed from carton pile 11, control and visualizationsystem 180 can actuate frame lift 179 and possibly drive motors 126, 127to reposition bumper 170 and carton guide system 175 against carton pile11 below the new topmost row of cartons 12 slated for removal.

Turning back to FIG. 2, carton 12 b is sliding down and off curved shelf176 just prior to falling or dropping onto the moving conveyor system135. Carton 12 c is transiting from trailing conveyor 142 onto centralconveyor 138 to join carton 12 d traveling rearward thereon. Cartons 12e and 12 f are moving upwards and rearwards along portion 137 b of rearconveyor 137. Unloaded carton 12 g is shown discharging from portion 137a of rear conveyor 137, and onto distribution center conveyor 19 fordelivery into the distribution center. As the height of carton pile 11is reduced, frame lift 179 may lower carton guide system 175 downward.

In an embodiment, when shelf 176 may be lowered into contact withconveyor system 135, shelf 176 may be operatively configured to deflector collapse against conveyor system 135. This deflection or collapse mayreduce the height of shelf 176, which may enable robotically controlledcarton remover system 160 to reach over the collapsed shelf 176 to reachlower cartons 12. Once a dislodged lower carton 12 may be drawn onto thecollapsed shelf 176, robotically controlled carton remover system 160and shelf 176 may be raised to dump carton 12 onto conveyor system 135.

As described previously and best shown in FIG. 6, roller 144 may belocated adjacent to conveyor system 135 and may be rotated by rollerdrive motor 147. As shown, roller 144 is cylindrical with a length and acircular cross section. Roller 144 is rotated in a direction that liftsany carton 12 upwardly when contacted by roller 144. Once lifted, therotating roller 144 can draw carton 12 downstream onto roller 144 andonto moving conveyor system 135 for extraction. These processes mayrepeat as required until all of the cartons 12 are unloaded fromsemi-trailer 10.

Alternate Embodiments

FIG. 7 shows an alternate roller 194 having a length and a non-circularcross section such as a hexagonal cross section. Other suitable crosssection configurations for roller 194 may be used, such as octagonal orribbed cross section. The non-circular cross section extends lengthwisealong roller 194 and is placed in front of conveyor system 135. Roller194 may have a plurality of roller corners 195 extending lengthwisealong the alternate roller 194 and when rotated, roller corners 195create rotating ridges of high pressure that impact and dig into cartons12. The combinations of upward rotating lines of pressure and impacthave been proven to be effective in dislodging cartons 12.

FIG. 7 further includes carton scoop 196 extending from conveyor arms141 frontwards of roller 194. Carton scoop 196 may be wedge shaped andat least a portion of carton scoop 196 can be a curve 197. Leading edge198 of carton scoop 196 may be driven underneath carton 12 resting onfloor 18. Carton scoop 196 may be configured to act as an inclined rampthat lifts and tilts carton 12 while moving underneath. As shown, thetilted carton 12 in FIG. 7 may have at least one edge thereof lifted offfloor 18. Carton 12 then slides and rides up along carton scoop 196until contacting rotating roller 194 to further lift and pull carton 12downstream onto conveyor system 135. While carton scoop 196 is shownwith roller 194, carton scoop 196 may, in another embodiment, also beused with roller 144. Additionally, in another embodiment, carton scoop196 may be used without rollers 194 or 144 and can attach directly infront of moving conveyor system 135 (not shown).

While robotic carton unloader 100 is described above for unloading asemi-trailer 10, robotic carton unloader 100 of the present embodimentis not limited for use solely thereto, and is well suited for unloadingcartons 12 in other settings such as within a store, a warehouse, adistribution center, an unloading bay, between product aisles, a rack, apallet, and a freezer.

With respect to the actuators and lifts described as first and secondactuators 168, 169 or frame lift 179, these actuators are not limited toelectrical actuators, but can be a fluidic actuator operable withcompressible or incompressible fluids, such as air and oil.

Vacuum Pick Head

FIGS. 8-13 illustrate an alternate robotically controlled carton removersystem 260 that has a manipulator having a conformable face, such as avacuum manipulator 162, to grasp, draw, and drop cartons 12 from thecarton wall or carton pile 11 onto a body conveyor system 235. The bodyconveyor system 235 is shown in different embodiments in FIGS. 14 and31, and was simulated in testing of the vacuum manipulator 162 with atable top as shown in FIGS. 8-13. Additionally, during the testing, anedge of the table top was used as a bumper 170 to stabilize the cartonpile 11 during the removal of the cartons 12 therefrom. FIGS. 8-13 showsnapshots of the vacuum manipulator 162 in operation as it grasps,draws, and drops cartons 12 onto the body conveyor system 235.

FIG. 8 shows the vacuum manipulator 162 approaching the carton wall orcarton pile 11. The vacuum manipulator is aimed at cartons 12 a, 12 b,and 12 c. Carton 12 a juts out of the carton pile 11. The vacuummanipulator 162 has a plurality of vacuum cups 164 with each vacuum cup164 mounted at an end of a respective guide rod 165. The guide rods 165are hollow and slidably mounted in a guide frame 167. Springs 166 areconnected between the guide rods 165 and the guide frame 168 to bias theguide rods 165 forward. A stop 169 is located on a middle portion ofeach of the guide rods 165 to stop forward movement of the guide rods165 when stops 169 contact the guide frame 167. The guide frame 167 isheld by a frame 168 that is movable towards and away from the cartonpile 11, such as by a robotic positioner (e.g., a robotic arm). Vacuumlines 173 connect to each of the hollow guide rods 165 to supply vacuumto the vacuum cups 164 provide by a vacuum source 171 connected to eachvacuum line 173.

FIG. 9 shows the vacuum manipulator 162 brought into contact with theuneven face of the carton pile 11 and moved forward towards the cartonpile 11 to ensure that vacuum cups 164 are brought into suction contactwith carton 12 b. Note that the guide rods 165 that are attached to thevacuum cups 164 in contact with carton 12 a are moved farther rearwardthan the guide rods 165 associated with the vacuum cups 164 in contactwith carton 12 b.

In FIG. 10, the arms 12 have been elevated to lift cartons 12 a and 12 bfrom the carton pile 11. In FIG. 11, the arms 12 have moved rearwardpulling the guide frame 168 rearward until the stops 169 of the guiderods 165 contact the rearward moving guide frame 168. Once the stops 99associated with a carton 12 a, 12 b are in contact with the rearwardmoving guide frame 168, the carton 12 a, 12 b begins moving rearward.Since the cartons 12 a and 12 b are staggered, the stops associated withcarton 12 b make contact before the stops of carton 12 a, and carton 12b begins moving rearward before carton 12 a. In this view, both carton12 a and 12 b are being drawn rearward by the moving vacuum manipulator162. In FIG. 12, the rearward moving vacuum manipulator 162 has pulledcartons 12 a, 12 b off of the carton pile and a front end of each carton12 a, 12 b is resting on the body conveyor system 235. In FIG. 13, thevacuum is turned off, and the cartons 12 a and 12 b have fallen fullonto the body conveyor system 235 for removal.

FIG. 14 is a right side sectional view of another embodiment roboticcarton unloader 400 including a manipulator, such as vacuum manipulator408, that includes a conformable face configured to conform toirregularities of a carton pile. The robotic carton unloader 400 may besimilar to robotic carton unloader 100 described above with reference toFIGS. 1-6, and may include a mobile body 402 and robotically controlledcarton remover system 404 similar to those described above. Onedifference between the robotic carton unloader 400 and robotic cartonunloader 100, may be that robotic carton unloader 400 may include avacuum manipulator 408 coupled to the robotic positioner 406. Therobotic positioner 406 may be any type robotic arm, such as the FANUC®Robot R-1000ia sold by FANUC® Robotics America Corporation describedabove, and may extend the vacuum manipulator 408 forward toward thecarton pile 11, backward (or rearward) from the carton pile 11, to theleft, to the right, and/or rotate the vacuum manipulator 408. Therobotic positioner 406 and vacuum manipulator 408 may be connected to acontrol and visualization system, such as control and visualizationsystem 180 described above, and the control and visualization system maycontrol the operations of the robotic positioner 406, vacuum manipulator408, and mobile body 402 to unload cartons from the carton pile 11. Forexample, the control and visualization system may monitor sensor inputsreceived from sensors on the robotic positioner 406 and/or vacuummanipulator 408, and send control signals, such as electrical controlsignals or fluid control signals, to motors, valves, actuators, and/orother devices of the robotic positioner 406 and/or vacuum manipulator408 to control the robotic positioner 406 and/or vacuum manipulator 408based on the sensor inputs to unload cartons from the carton pile 11. Asused herein, the term fluid may refer to any compressible orincompressible fluid. Examples of fluids may include air, oil, etc.

FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulator408 according to an embodiment. The vacuum manipulator 408 may comprisea manipulator frame 410 coupled to and configured to support a guideframe 412. The vacuum manipulator 408 may include one or more banks ofcarton connectors (e.g., vacuum rods), such as a first bank of vacuumrods 416, a second bank of vacuum rods, 418, and a third bank of vacuumrods 420. The each vacuum rod of the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and420, may be supported by and extend through holes in the guide frame 412from an internal portion of the vacuum manipulator 408 out to the frontface of the guide frame 412. In an embodiment, the guide frame 412 maybe a solid block, such as a resin (e.g., Delrin®) block, with a seriesof holes drilled through the block. The vacuum rods of each bank ofvacuum rods 416, 418, and 420 may pass through the holes to extend outfrom and into the guide frame 412 and vacuum manipulator 408. In thismanner, the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420 may form aconformable face of the vacuum manipulator 408. A top cover 414 may beaffixed to the manipulator frame 410 to protect the vacuum rods andother devices housed within the vacuum manipulator 408.

In an embodiment, the banks of pluralities of carton connectors, such asbanks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420, may be comprised of a series ofvacuum rods having vacuum cups affixed to one end. In an embodiment, thevacuum cups in each bank 416, 418, and 420 may be of differentdiameters, such that the banks 416, 418, and 420 are comprised of atleast one vacuum rod having a major vacuum cup 422 and at least onevacuum rod having a minor vacuum cup 424. For example, the banks 416,418, and 420, may be comprised of parallel rows of major vacuum cups 422and minor vacuum cups 424, such as two vertically aligned parallel rowsof major vacuum cups 422 disposed above a vertically offset parallel rowof minor vacuum cups 424. In an embodiment, the banks of vacuum rods416, 418, and 420 may include the same number of vacuum rods and vacuumcups. In another embodiment, the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420may include different numbers of vacuum rods and vacuum cups. Forexample, the first bank 416 and the third bank 420 may each include tworows of five major vacuum cups 422 and one row of four minor vacuum cups424, while the second bank 418 (e.g., the middle bank) includes two rowsof four major vacuum cups 422 and one row of three minor vacuum cups424. In another embodiment, the rows of vacuum cups may includedifferent types of vacuum cups, such as both major vacuum cups 422 andminor vacuum cups 424. In an embodiment, the diameter of the majorvacuum cups 422 may be relatively larger than the diameter of the minorvacuum cups 424. In an embodiment, the major vacuum cups 422 and minorvacuum cups 424 may have the same or different surface textures, be madefrom the same or different materials, and/or may have the same ordifferent deflection depths. While discussed in terms of two differenttypes of vacuum cups, major vacuum cups 422 and minor vacuum cups 424, asingle type of vacuum cup or more than two different types of vacuumcups may be used in the various embodiments.

Each of the vacuum rods of each bank of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420may be connected to a respective bank of vacuum generators. A first bankof vacuum generators 442 is illustrated in FIG. 15 coupled to themanipulator frame 410. An opposite end of the vacuum rod may include avacuum coupling which may be connected by a vacuum line to one of thevacuum generators of the first bank of vacuum generators 442. Inoperation the vacuum generators may draw a vacuum which may pull fluidthrough the vacuum lines, through the respective vacuum rods and throughthe respective vacuum cups. In an embodiment, the vacuum drawn throughthe respective vacuum rods and through the respective vacuum cups mayenable the conformable face of the vacuum manipulator 408 to attach tocontacted cartons of the carton pile 11 to unload the contacted cartonsfrom the carton pile 11.

In an embodiment, the vacuum manipulator 408 may include a moveableshelf, such as a sliding shelf 426, that may extend in the samedirection as the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, 420 (e.g., forward andreward when the vacuum manipulator 408 is parallel to the floor of thefloor of the truck or trailer) by moving in and out of the manipulatorframe 410. The sliding shelf 426 is illustrated retracted into thevacuum manipulator 408 in FIG. 15. In various embodiments, a moveableshelf, such as sliding shelf 426, may be moveable towards and away fromthe carton pile, such as by sliding towards and away from the cartonpile. The sliding shelf 426 may be configured to catch one or morecartons dislodged from carton pile 11 and guide the cartons onto aconveyor system. A bumper 428 may be coupled to an edge of the slidingshelf 426. The bumper 428 may be configured to be pressed against thecarton pile 11 below one or more cartons being dislodged (e.g., removed)from the carton pile 11 by the vacuum manipulator 408 to stabilize thecarton pile below the one or more cartons being dislodged. In thismanner, the moveable shelf may include a bumper to stabilize the cartonpile 11 as cartons are unloaded. In an additional embodiment, themoveable shelf, such as sliding shelf 426, may pivot or rotate to swingdown from a position parallel to the floor of the truck or trailer to aposition perpendicular to the floor of the truck or trailer. In anembodiment, the entire sliding shelf 426 may pivot or rotate. In anotherembodiment, a portion of the sliding shelf may pivot or rotate. Forexample, a pivoting portion of the sliding shelf may be attached by ahinge or other type joint to a stationary portion of the sliding shelfand the pivoting portion may pivot or rotate relative to the stationaryportion.

In an embodiment, the vacuum manipulator 408 may include at least onecarton connector, such as a vacuum rod, configured to extend out from aside of the manipulator perpendicular to the conformable face of thevacuum manipulator 408. In an embodiment, the vacuum manipulator mayinclude at least one carton connector configured to extend out from aside of the manipulator perpendicular to the conformable face as one ormore banks of vacuum rods disposed on one or both of the left and/orright sides of the manipulator frame 410. A right side bank of vacuumrods 444 is illustrated in FIG. 15. The side banks of vacuum rods may beoriented in different directions than the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418,and 420 extending from the front of the vacuum manipulator 408. Forexample, the side banks of vacuum rods may extend perpendicular to thefront of the vacuum manipulator and/or in other directions/orientations.In an embodiment, the bank of vacuum rods 444 may comprise one or morevacuum rods 444, such as two vacuum rods, having vacuum cups, such asminor vacuum cups 424, affixed to one end. The right side bank of vacuumrods 444 may be configured to extend and retract out of and into theright side of the manipulator frame 410. In operation the right sidebank of vacuum rods 444 may extend out from the vacuum manipulator 408to contact, attach to, and dislodge (e.g., remove) cartons arranged tothe right side of vacuum manipulator 408. When unloading cartons from atruck or trailer, the unloading of cartons from the center portion ofthe carton pile 11 may result in columns of cartons arranged along thesides of the truck or trailer that may be difficult for a vacuummanipulator 408 to reach with the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420extending from the front of the vacuum manipulator 408. The side banksof vacuum rods, such as right side bank of vacuum rods 444, may extendfrom the manipulator frame 410 to contact and manipulate cartons inthese columns of cartons arranged along the sides of the truck ortrailer. The side banks of vacuum rods through their own retraction orin combination with movement of the vacuum manipulator 408 caused by therobotic positioner 406 may pull these side cartons to a position inwhich the vacuum manipulator 408 may engage the cartons with the banksof vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420 extending from the front of the vacuummanipulator 408. Alternatively, the side banks of vacuum rods throughtheir own retraction or in combination with movement of the vacuummanipulator 408 caused by the robotic positioner 406 may remove thecartons from their respective columns and cause them to fall onto aconveyor system.

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the left side of the vacuum manipulator408. FIG. 16 illustrates the left side bank of vacuum rods 446 includingminor vacuum cups 424 which may extend through the manipulator frame 410out to the left. Additionally, in FIG. 16 the first bank of vacuumgenerators 442, second bank of vacuum generators 448, and third bank ofvacuum generators 450 for each of the first bank of vacuum rods 416,second bank of vacuum rods 418, and third bank of vacuum rods 420 areillustrated coupled to the manipulator frame 410.

FIG. 17A is an isometric view and FIG. 17B is a side view of anembodiment carton connector, such as vacuum rod 429, having a majorvacuum cup 422 affixed to one end. The vacuum rod 429 may be comprisedof a hollow guide rod 430 to which the major vacuum cup 422 may beaffixed to one end and a vacuum coupling 434 may be affixed to anopposite end. Disposed along the guide rod 430, such as forward of thevacuum coupling 434, may be a stop 432. The stop 432 may be aprotrusion, such as a collar, ring, ridge, etc., affixed to and/orformed on the guide rod 430. Opposite the stop 432 along the guide rod430 may be a washer 438 set at or back from the point of attachment ofthe major vacuum cup 422. The washer 438 may be a collar, ring, ridge,etc., affixed to and/or formed on the guide rod 430. A compressionspring 436 may surround the guide rod 430 and extend from the washer 438on a side opposite the major vacuum cup 422. When compressed, thecompression spring 436 may push against the washer 438 exerting a forceagainst the washer 438. The hole through the center of the major vacuumcup 422, hole through the center of the guide rod 430, and the holethrough the vacuum coupling 434 may form a central passage 440 throughwhich fluid may travel from the major vacuum cup 422, through the centerof the guide rod 430, and out the vacuum coupling 434, thereby travelingthrough the vacuum rod 429.

FIG. 18A is an isometric view and FIG. 18B is a side view of theembodiment carton connector, such as vacuum rod 429, described abovewith reference to FIGS. 17A and 17B, except in FIGS. 18A and 18B thecarton connector, such as vacuum rod 429, is illustrated including aminor vacuum cup 424 affixed to one end. Series of vacuum rods 429 withmajor vacuum cups 422 and/or minor vacuum cups 424 may comprise thefirst bank of vacuum rods 416, second bank of vacuum rods 418, and/orthird bank of vacuum rods 420. When the vacuum rod 429 contacts asurface of a carton, the major vacuum cup 422 or minor vacuum cup 424may deflect and/or compress due to the force of the carton and the guiderod 430 exerted against the major vacuum cup. The deflection and/orcompression distance of the major vacuum cup 422 or minor vacuum cup 424may depend on various factors, such as material properties of the vacuumcup, diameter of the vacuum cup, etc. In one embodiment, the maximumdeflection of the major vacuum cup 422 or minor vacuum cup 424 may be1.19 inches. Other embodiment maximum deflection or compressiondistances may be greater than 1.19 inches or less than 1.19 inches.

FIG. 19 is a partial isometric view of the right side of the vacuummanipulator 408 with the top cover 414 shown clear to provide a view ofthe internal configuration of the vacuum manipulator. FIG. 19illustrates that the vacuum rods pass through the guide frame 412 andthrough plates, such as a first plate 468 associated with the first bankof vacuum rods 416 and a second plate 470 associated with the secondbank of vacuum rods 418. All the vacuum rods for the first bank ofvacuum rods 416 are illustrated, but a number of vacuum rods for thesecond bank of vacuum rods 418 are removed for illustration purposes.With the vacuum rods removed, the guide frame openings 454 (e.g., holes)in the guide frame 412 are visible as well as the plate openings 455(e.g., holes) in the second plate 470. The vacuum rods may extendthrough the guide frame 412 and through their respective plates 468 and470 and may slide through the guide frame 412 and their respectiveplates 468 and 470.

The first plate 468 and the second plate 470 may each be slidablymounted within the manipulator frame 410 and may move forward toward theguide frame 412 and backward (e.g., rearward) away from the guide frame412. In an embodiment retraction cylinders 474 may be coupled to theplates and may be actuated to move the plates within the manipulatorframe 410. For example, the retraction cylinders 474 may be mountedbetween the plates and the guide frame 412, such that the retractioncylinders 474 extend from the back surface of the guide frame 412 in anopposite direction of the vacuum cups of the banks of vacuum rods 416,418, and 420. The extension rods of the retraction cylinders 474 mayextend through the plates and contact u-shaped brackets 472 located on aback surface of the plates. In operation, as the retraction cylinders474 extend their extension rods, the extension rods may exert force onthe u-shaped brackets 472 pushing the plates away from the guide frame412. In an embodiment, the retraction cylinders 474 may be compressedfluid (e.g., air) cylinders configured to extend the extension rods whencompressed fluid (e.g., air) is supplied. For example, one or morevalves of a compressed fluid (e.g., air) distributor may be controlledby the control and visualization system to be closed to providecompressed fluid (e.g., air) to the retraction cylinders 474 to extendthe extension rods and the one or more valves may be controlled to beopened to vent the cylinders 474 to the atmosphere, thereby allowing theextension rods to be retracted and the plate to slide forward toward theguide frame 412.

As illustrated in FIG. 19, the stops 432 a and 432 b of guide rods 430 aand 430 b, respectively, contact the first plate 468. When the firstplate 468 is slid all the way forward toward the guide frame 412 (e.g.,when the extension rods of retraction cylinders 474 are not extended),stops 432 a and 432 b may contact the first plate 468 and prevent theirrespective guide rods 430 a and 430 b from moving farther forward. Asthe first plate 468 slides back away from the guide frame 412 due toextension of the extension rods applying force to the u-shaped brackets472, the first plate 468 applies force against the stops 432 a and 432 bto pull guide rods 430 a and 430 b back through the guide frame 412,thereby compressing the compression springs of the respective vacuumrods between the front face of the guide frame 412 and the respectivewashers. In this manner, the vacuum rods may be retracted back into thevacuum manipulator 408 to prevent damage, such as bending, breaking,etc. of the vacuum rods. For example, the vacuum rods may be retractedduring movement of the robotic carton unloader 400 and/or roboticpositioner 406 to protect the vacuum rods from damage. When theextension rods of the retraction cylinders 474 are no longer exertingforce against the u-shaped brackets 472, the force of the compressionsprings of the various vacuum rods pushing on the guide frame 412 andthe various washers may drive the vacuum rods forward out of the guideframe 412. In this manner, each of the various vacuum rods may be biasedtowards the carton pile by its spring. The stops 432, such as stops 432a and 432 b, may exert force on the plates, such as the first plate 468,to pull the plates forward toward the guide frame 412 as the compressionsprings extend the vacuum rods. As the extension and retraction of thevacuum rods is controlled by the compression springs and/or theretraction cylinders 474, respectively, the vacuum rods may beconsidered spring loaded passive suction devices. In an embodiment, thevarious plates associated with each respective bank of vacuum rods mayhave the same number of respective u-shaped brackets 472 and retractioncylinders 474. In another embodiment, the plates may have differentnumbers of respective u-shaped brackets 472 and retraction cylinders474. For example, the middle plate 470 may be associated with twou-shaped brackets 472 and two retraction cylinders 474, while the outerplates (e.g., first plate 468 and third plate 471) may be associatedwith three u-shaped brackets 472 and three retraction cylinders 474.

FIG. 19 also illustrates aspects of the first bank of vacuum generators442, including a vacuum line 452 connected between one of the vacuumgenerators and the vacuum coupling 434 b of one of the vacuum rods ofthe first bank of vacuum rods 416. Other vacuum generators and vacuumcouplings, such as vacuum coupling 434 a, may be connected in a similarmanner, but are illustrated without vacuum lines 452 for clarity ofillustration. The vacuum lines 452 may be any type connection, such asflexible tubes, pipes, hoses, etc. The vacuum generators may receivecompressed fluid (e.g., air) from a compressed fluid (e.g., air)manifold 476. The compressed fluid may flow to each of the vacuumgenerators from the compressed fluid manifold 476 and be forced acrossan opening connected to the respective vacuum line 452 and out anexhaust 478. In this manner, the vacuum generator may act as an educatordrawing fluid through the vacuum line 452 and through the centralpassage 440 of the vacuum, and drawing a vacuum or partial vacuum whenthe vacuum cups contact a surface of a carton. In an embodiment, eachbank of vacuum generators 442, 448, and 450 may have its own respectivecompressed fluid manifold 476.

The compressed fluid manifolds 476 and other fluid actuated devices,such as retraction cylinders 474, may receive compressed fluid (e.g.,air) from compressed fluid (e.g., air) distributor 480. Compressed fluidlines may connect the compressed fluid manifolds 476 and other fluidactuated devices, such as retraction cylinders 474, to the compressedfluid distributor 480. The compressed fluid distributor 480 may receivecompressed fluid (e.g., air) from a main compressed fluid connection andmay comprise a series of valves remotely controllable by the control andvisualization system, such as electrically operated valves, that may becycled open and closed to provide compressed fluid from the maincompressed fluid connection to the compressed fluid manifolds 476 andother fluid actuated devices, such as retraction cylinders 474 of thevacuum manipulator 408. In an embodiment, the vacuum manipulator 408 mayhave one compressed fluid distributor 480. In another embodiment, morethan one compressed fluid distributor 480 may be present on the vacuummanipulator.

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulator408 with the second bank of vacuum rods 418 extended and the slidingshelf 426 retracted. The first bank of vacuum rods 416, the second bankof vacuum rods 418, and the third bank of vacuum rods 420 may beindependently extendable and retractable. In this manner, each bank of aplurality of carton connectors, such as the first bank of vacuum rods416, the second bank of vacuum rods 418, and the third bank of vacuumrods 420, may be configured to move independent of the other banks ofpluralities of carton connectors towards the carton pile to conform toirregularities of the carton pile by contact therewith and to moveindependent of the other banks of pluralities of carton connectors awayfrom the carton pile to unload the contacted cartons. As illustrated inFIG. 20, when the second bank of vacuum rods 418 is extended thecompression springs 436 of the various vacuum rods expand out from theguide frame 412 pushing against the washers 438 to extend the vacuumcups forward. As illustrated in FIG. 20 by the extension of the vacuumrods 418, as the various vacuum rods may extend through the guide frame412 to extend the vacuum cups away from the guide frame 412 andmanipulator frame 410. The range of extension of the vacuum rods may bebased on the length of the guide rods 430, uncompressed length of thesprings 436, location of the stops 432, separation distance between theplates 468, 470, 471 and the guide frame 412, and/or the depth of guideframe 412. However, the extension of the vacuum rods may enable thevacuum cups to be extended out a range from the guide frame 412 that islonger than the depth of the vacuum cups and beyond the distance thevacuum cups extend in the retracted state. In this manner, the vacuumcups may be extended to reach deeper into the carton pile 11 to reachcartons that may not be aligned with the front face of the carton pile11 because the vacuum cups may be extended beyond their own depthforward from the retracted position to any position over the range.Additionally, because the vacuum rods are in effect spring loadedpassive suction devices that may move freely through the guide frame 412and the plates 468, 470, 471 limited only by the stops 432, washers 438,and springs 436, the vacuum rods may also deflect the same rangebackward from their fully extended position back to their retractedposition. In this manner, each carton connector, such as each vacuumrod, and therefore the banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420, maydeflect to conform to the face of the carton pile 11, and theconformable face of the manipulator may be configured to passivelyconform to irregularities of the carton pile 11 to unload the cartonpile 11 by contact therewith. In an embodiment, the deflection may bethe range of extension distance plus any deflection/compression distanceof the vacuum cups themselves. In this manner, the effective deflectiondistance may be greater than the deflection distance of the vacuum cupsthemselves.

FIG. 21 is a side sectional view of the right side of the vacuummanipulator 408 along the line A-A shown in FIG. 20. In FIG. 21, thecentral passage 440 and the pathway from the vacuum generator throughthe vacuum line 452 and vacuum coupling 432 is visible. Additionally,compressed fluid line 477 coupling the compressed fluid manifold 476 tothe vacuum generator is illustrated. As illustrated in FIG. 21, thecompression springs 436 for the second bank of vacuum rods are extended,while the compression springs 436 for the first bank of vacuum rods arecompressed between the washer 438 and guide frame 412. Additionally, theside actuators 482 for the two vacuum cups of the right side bank ofvacuum rods 444 are shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 22 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulator408 with the top cover and various vacuum rods removed for clarity ofillustration. FIG. 22 illustrates the sliding shelf 426 retracted andall banks 416, 418, and 420 retracted. Additionally, the right side bankof vacuum rods 444 is retracted. The sliding shelf 426 may be coupled toone or more pneumatic cylinders 484, such as two pneumatic cylinders484, that may drive the sliding shelf 426 in and out of the vacuummanipulator 408. In an embodiment, pneumatic cylinders 484 may bepneumatic rodless fluid (e.g., air) cylinders with magnetic coupling.Each pneumatic cylinder 484 may include an outside collar that slides onthe outside of a fluid (e.g., air) cylinder and is magnetically coupledto an inside piston through the cylinder wall. The outside collars maybe coupled to the sliding shelf 426 and as they piston drives forward orbackward the magnetically coupled collars drive the sliding shelf 426forward or backward, respectively. The magnetic coupling of the collarsmay provide a magnetic decoupling should the sliding shelf 426 impactthe carton pile 11 with too high an impact force. In this manner, damageto the sliding shelf 426 and/or the carton pile 11 may be avoided. Thecollars may re-couple magnetically with the piston when the pistonretracts. The pneumatic cylinders 484 may be coupled to the compressedfluid distributor 480 and received compressed fluid (e.g., air) toextend and retract the sliding shelf 426 based on the control andvisualization system controlling the valves of the compressed fluiddistributor 480.

FIG. 23 is an isometric view of the right side of the vacuum manipulator408 with the second bank of vacuum rods 418, the right side bank ofvacuum rods 444, and the sliding shelf 426 extended. Other vacuum rodshave been removed for clarity of illustration. As illustrated in FIG.23, when the sliding shelf 426 is extended the collars of the pneumaticcylinders 484 may be moved forward to extend the sliding shelf 426. Inan embodiment, the sliding shelf 426 may slide forward on rails 486mounted between the sliding shelf 426 and the manipulator frame 410.Rails 486 may be any type rails enabling the sliding shelf 426 to extendfrom and retract into the vacuum manipulator, such as roller slides. Thesliding shelf 426 may be a continuous shelf or a modular shelf and mayinclude various shelf cutouts 488.

FIG. 23 also shows that the plate 470 associated with the second bank ofvacuum rods 418 may move forward when the vacuum rods are extended bythe compression springs 436, while the first plate 468 and third plate471 remain retracted all the way back, thereby compressing thecompression springs 436.

FIG. 24 is an isometric view of the left under-side of the vacuummanipulator 408 with the sliding shelf 426 and banks of vacuum rods 416,418, and 420 extended. Because all banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and420 are extended, all plates 468, 470, and 471 are pulled forward to thesame location. The collars of the pneumatic cylinders 484 may also beseen pushed forward with the sliding shelf 426. The left side bank ofvacuum rods 446 is illustrated retracted. FIG. 25 is an isometric viewof the left under-side of the vacuum manipulator 408 with the slidingshelf 426 extended and banks of vacuum rods 416, 418, and 420 retracted.The extension rods of the retraction cylinders 474 are all extendeddriving the plates 468, 470, and 471 reward and compressing thecompression springs 436 as the washers 438 and vacuum cups are pulledback to the guide frame 412. FIG. 25 also illustrates the underside viewof the side actuators 482 for the right side bank of vacuum rods 444 andthe left side bank of vacuum rods 446. The side actuators 482 may beaffixed to cross beams 490 running parallel to the guide frame 12.

FIGS. 26A, 26B, 27A, 27B, 28A, 28B, 29A, and 29B are partial top andside sectional views, respectively, of the left side of the vacuummanipulator 408 in contact with the carton pile 11 at various timesduring carton removal operations. Only the vacuum rods with minor vacuumcups 424 are illustrated for clarity.

Initially during carton removal operations, the control andvisualization system may measure the distance to the carton pile 11,such as using a sensor (e.g., a camera other type of carton sensor), andposition the vacuum manipulator 408 an initial distance from the face ofthe carton pile 11. As illustrated in FIGS. 26A and 26B, at a first timeafter positioning the vacuum manipulator 408, the compressed fluid tothe retraction cylinders 474 associated with the second bank of vacuumrods 418 and the third bank of vacuum rods 420 may be de-energized,thereby allowing the compression springs 436 to drive the second bank ofvacuum rods 418 and third bank of vacuum rods 420 forward until thevarious vacuum cups contact (or engage) the cartons 12H and 12I to beremoved. Carton 12H may be closer to the vacuum manipulator 408 thancarton 12I, so the vacuum rods 420A, 420B, and 420C, may not extend asfar as vacuum rods 420D, 418A, and 418B. Vacuum rod 418C may extendfully until its stop 434 contacts plate 470 because no carton is presentin front of vacuum rod 418C to impede its extension. The sliding shelf426 may remain retracted. As illustrated in FIG. 26A, the ability ofeach vacuum rod 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 418A, 418B, and 418C to extendand deflect independently over a range enables the conformable face ofthe vacuum manipulator 408 formed by the banks of vacuum rods 418 and420 to conform to the shape of the face of the carton pile 11, therebyconforming to the irregularities of the carton pile 11. For example,when the rods 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 418A, 418B, and 418C are extendedthe full extension range initially and the vacuum manipulator 408 isdriven forward into the carton pile 11, the rods 420A, 420B, and 420Ccontacting closer box 12H may deflect further backward than the rods420D, 418A, and 418B contacting farther box 12I. In an embodiment, theextension range may be 9.5 inches, greater than 9.5 inches, or less than9.5 inches. The vacuum cups may be enabled to deflect the full extensionrange plus their own deflection depth. A vacuum cup may be deflected thefull extension range by the surface of a carton until the vacuum rodspring 436 and washer 438 contact the guide frame and still further backthe deflection distance of the vacuum cup itself. For example, when thedeflection depth of the vacuum cup is 1.19 inches from the edge of thevacuum cup to the forward end of the hollow guide tube 430 and theextended range is 9.5 inches, the vacuum cup may deflect a maximumdistance of 10.69 inches from its max extension to max deflection. Asanother example, when the rods 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 418A, 418B, and418C are retracted initially and the vacuum manipulator 408 is drivenforward before the rods are extended, the rods 420A, 420B, and 420Ccontacting closer box 12H may extend a shorter distance forward than therods 420D, 418A, and 418B contacting farther box 12I which may extendthe full extension range. The ability of the vacuum rods to extendbeyond the retracted state may enable cartons set back from the face ofthe carton pile 11 to be reached/grasped while cartons at or extendingfrom the face of the carton pile 11 are also reached/grasped. In thismanner, the vacuum manipulator 408 may conform to an uneven carton pile11 and unload cartons at different depths in the carton pile 11 at thesame time.

As illustrated in FIGS. 27A and 27B, at a second time the vacuum may beapplied by the vacuum generators to the second bank of vacuum rods 418and the third bank of vacuum rods 420 to grip the cartons 12H and 12Iwith the vacuum cups via suction thereby effectively attaching thevacuum rods 420A, 420B, 420C, 420D, 418A, and 418B to the cartons 12Hand 12I. The compressed fluid may be energized to the retractioncylinders 474 which may drive the plates 470 and 471 backward. Vacuumrods at or near full extension, such as vacuum rods 420D, 418A, 418B,and 418C may begin retracting as the plates 470 and 471 start to movebackwards because these vacuum rods' stops 432 may already be in contactwith the plates 470 and 471, while vacuum rods not full extended, suchas vacuum rods 420A, 420B, and 420D may remain stationary until theirrespective stops 432 are contacted by the plates 470 and 471 movingbackward. In this manner, there may be a “dead zone” in which though avacuum has been applied and the vacuum manipulator 408 has started tomove some cartons, such as carton 12I, farther from the vacuummanipulator other closer cartons, such as carton 12H remain stationary.The sequential movement of cartons 12H and 12I based on their distancefrom the vacuum manipulator 408 and its resulting impact on the stops432 being contacted by the plates 470 and 471 may align the carton linebeing removed. Additionally, the vacuum manipulator 408 may be raised aheight 492 from its initial position by the robotic positioner 406 tolift the cartons 12H and 12I. The height 492 may be any height, forexample the height 492 may be two inches. Further the sliding shelf 426may be extended forward from the vacuum manipulator 408 to place thebumper 428 against the carton pile 11 to stabilize the carton pile 11below the cartons 12H and 12I being dislodged (e.g., removed). Asillustrated in FIGS. 28A and 28B, the plates 470 and 471 may be pushedbackwards until the compression springs 436 are fully compressed. Oncethe compression springs 436 are fully compressed, as illustrated inFIGS. 29A and 29B, the robotic positioner 406 may be actuated to retractthe vacuum manipulator 408 while the sliding shelf 426 is furtherextended away from the front face of the guide frame 412. In anembodiment, the sliding shelf 426 may be extended as the vacuummanipulator 408 is retracted, such that the sliding shelf 426 extends toover fifty percent of the distance to the center of gravity of thecartons 12H and 12I being removed. Once the cartons 12H and 12I are fullsupported by the sliding shelf 426, the sliding shelf 426 may retractand/or pivot or rotate down and the suction may be released for thevacuum cups, thereby dropping the cartons 12H and 12I onto a conveyorsystem.

FIG. 30A is a partial front side view of the vacuum manipulator 408 withthe right side bank of vacuum rods 444 retracted. On major vacuum cup422 of the first bank of vacuum rods 416 is removed for clarity ofillustration. The right side bank of vacuum rods 444 may be extended andretracted by a side actuator 482 which may be an electric or pneumaticactuator that may drive hollow guide rode 496 to extend vacuum cups 424into and out of the right side of the manipulator frame 410. A vacuumcoupling 494 may connect the guide rod 496 to a vacuum generator via avacuum line to draw fluid (e.g., air) through the vacuum cup 424, theguide rod 496, and the vacuum coupling 494. FIG. 30B is the same view asFIG. 30A, except that the guide rod 496 is extended pushing the vacuumcup 424 out from the manipulator frame 410. In this manner, the rightside bank of vacuum rods 444 may be extended and retracted to dislodge(e.g., remove) boxes on the right side of the vacuum manipulator 408.The left side bank of vacuum rods 446 may be configured in a similarmanner to extend out the left side of the manipulator frame 410.

FIG. 31 is a right side sectional view of the robotic carton unloader400 extended to remove cartons from a floor of the truck or trailer. Inan embodiment, the vacuum manipulator 408 may rotate down, such as 90degrees, to face the vacuum cups toward the floor of the truck ortrailer. In this manner, the vacuum cups may contact (or engage) a topof carton 12X on the floor of the truck or trailer. A vacuum may beapplied by the vacuum generators to vacuum rods to grip the carton 12Xwith the vacuum cups via suction, and the robotic positioner 406 may bearticulated to lift the vacuum manipulator 408 and carton 12X to movethe carton to the conveyor system. FIG. 31 also illustrates in dottedline a first position of the vacuum manipulator 408 with the conformableface directed towards the carton pile 11, and a third position of thevacuum manipulator depositing the carton 12X on the conveyor system.

In an embodiment, the sliding shelf 426 may pivot or rotate to swingdown from a position parallel to the extension direction of the forwardfacing vacuum rods to a position perpendicular to forward facing vacuumrods. In an embodiment, the entire sliding shelf 426 may pivot orrotate. In another embodiment, a portion of the sliding shelf 426 maypivot or rotate. For example, a pivoting portion of the sliding shelfmay be attached by a hinge or other type joint to a stationary portionof the sliding shelf and the pivoting portion may pivot or rotaterelative to the stationary portion. FIG. 32A is a right side isometricview of a pivoting sliding shelf 426 according to an embodiment and FIG.32B is a left under-side isometric view of the same pivoting slidingshelf 426. The pivoting sliding shelf 426 may comprise a stationaryshelf 426 a and pivoting shelf or tray 426 b to which bumper 428 may beconnected. The stationary shelf 426 a may include attachment points 491for pneumatic cylinders 484 to attach to the stationary shelf 426 a todrive the pivoting sliding shelf 426 into and out of the manipulatorframe 410. In an embodiment the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b may berotationally coupled to the stationary shelf 426 a and/or to the rails486, such as by one or more hinges 499. In an embodiment, pistons 497,such as a pneumatic pistons, may be coupled between brackets 493 mountedto the stationary shelf 426 a and protruding arms 495 of the pivotingshelf or try 426 b. The extension of the rods of the pistons 497 mayraise and lower the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b.

FIGS. 33A-B are right side views of a manipulator including pivotingshelf or tray 426 b transitioning from a rotated down state to a rotatedup state. FIG. 33A illustrates the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b rotateddown, perpendicular to the stationary shelf 426 a. The rod of the piston497 may be retracted pulling the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b down. Inan embodiment, the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b may be rotated down todrop cartons onto a conveyor system and/or to enable the vacuum cups tobe positioned closer to cartons of a carton pile 11. As illustrated inFIG. 33A the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b may be rotated down when themanipulator is attached to the cartons of the carton pile 11. FIG. 33Billustrates the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b rotated partially upthrough its range of motion between a rotated down state and a rotatedup state. The rod of piston 497 may be partially extended/retracteddriving the protruding arm 495 forward/backward, thereby raising thepivoting shelf or tray 426 b up from a rotated down state or down from arotated up state, respectively. FIG. 33C illustrates the pivoting shelfor tray 426 b rotated up parallel to the stationary shelf 426 a. The rodof the piston 497 may be fully extended. In an embodiment, the pivotingshelf or tray 426 b may be rotated up to support cartons and/or to placethe bumper against the carton pile 11 to stabilize the carton pile 11.In an embodiment, the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b may be rotated upbefore the vacuum manipulator 408 is placed in position at the cartonpile 11. In another embodiment, the pivoting shelf or tray 426 b may berotated up after the vacuum manipulator 408 is placed in position at thecarton pile 11.

FIG. 34 is a process flow diagram illustrating an embodiment method 3300for controlling a robotic carton unloader including a manipulator, suchas vacuum manipulator 408 described above. In an embodiment, theoperations of method 3300 may be performed by a processor of a controland visualization system connected to a conveyor system, roboticpositioner, and manipulator to automatically control the conveyorsystem, robotic positioner, and manipulator to unload a carton pile.

In block 3302 the control and visualization system may measure adistance to the next row of a carton pile to be unloaded. For example,the control and visualization system may measure the distance using oneor more sensor, such as one or more camera or other carton sensor. Inblock 3304 the control and visualization system may position the vacuummanipulator a first distance away from the row. For example, thedistance may be a distance selected to enable the vacuum rods of thevacuum manipulator to extend to the cartons in the row. The control andvisualization system may use the measured distance to the next row ofthe carton pile to be unloaded determine the robotic positioner andmobile body actuations necessary to position the vacuum manipulator atthe first distance. In an embodiment where the vacuum manipulatorincludes a pivoting shelf or tray, the pivoting shelf or tray may berotated up as the vacuum manipulator is positioned or after the vacuummanipulator is brought into position. In block 3306 the control andvisualization system may determine the banks of vacuum rods needed toremove the cartons of the row. For example, the control andvisualization system may determine that one bank, two banks, and/orthree banks of vacuum rods may be activated. Removing cartons from eachrow may not require all banks to be selected for each carton removaloperation.

In block 3308 the control and visualization system may de-energize thefluid delivery to the retraction cylinders associated with the selectedbanks of vacuum rods. De-energizing the fluid delivery to the retractioncylinders may enable the compression springs of each selected bank todrive the vacuum rods forward to contact the cartons of the row. Inblock 3310 the control and visualization system may activate the vacuumfor the selected banks of vacuum rods to grip the cartons via suctionand raise the vacuum manipulator a selected height, such as two inches.Raising the vacuum manipulator may raise the cartons reducing thesurface area of cartons being moved in contact with cartons belowremaining in the carton pile, thereby making dislodging the cartonseasier.

In optional block 3311 the control and visualization system may raise apivoting shelf portion. As discussed above, in an optional embodiment, aportion of the moveable shelf may pivot or rotate. For example, apivoting portion of the sliding shelf may be attached by a hinge orother type joint to a stationary portion of the movable shelf thatmerely slides forward and backward, and the pivoting portion pivots orrotate relative to the sliding portion. In this manner, the moveableshelf slides and/or the moveable shelf pivots. The control andvisualization system may optionally raise the pivoting shelf portion tostabilize the carton pile during unloading of the carton pile. In block3312 the control and visualization system may re-energize the fluiddelivery to the retraction cylinders associated with the selected banksof vacuum rods and extend the shelf. As discussed above, though thefluid delivery may be re-energized, all vacuum rods may not begin movingat the time of fluid delivery and/or at the same time, because anindividual vacuum rod is passive and will not move until the respectiveplate contacts its respective stop. Thus, there may be a “dead zone” inwhich though a vacuum has been applied and the vacuum manipulator hasstarted to move some cartons, other vacuum rods and/or cartons mayremain still waiting for their stops to be contacted by plates. In anembodiment, the moveable shelf, or portions of the moveable shelf,slides and/or pivots, and the shelf may be extended at the same timefluid delivery is started, such as nearly the same time, or may bestarted at a different time. In block 3314 the control and visualizationsystem may retract the vacuum manipulator and extend the sliding shelf.The vacuum manipulator may be retracted by the robotic positioner as theshelf is extended such that the shelf extends over fifty percent of thedistance to the center of gravity of the cartons being removed.

In block 3316 the control and visualization system may position thevacuum manipulator over the conveyor system and in block 3318 thecontrol and visualization system may retract the shelf (and optionallylower a pivoting shelf portion in embodiments in which the shelf pivots)and release the vacuum. In an embodiment where the vacuum manipulatorincludes a pivoting shelf or tray, the pivoting shelf or tray may berotated down in addition to or in place of retracting the sliding shelfto drop the cartons. Whether through retracting the shelf, tipping thevacuum manipulator, and/or pivoting the shelf, the cartons may drop ontothe conveyor. The method 3300 may then return to block 3300 to measurethe distance to the next row of cartons to be unloaded.

The term “descrambling conveyor” may refer to any or all of thecomponents of a conveyor system of an embodiment robotic cartonunloader, such as a front-end loader. The terms “herringbone-typecentral descrambler” and “central descrambler” are used herein to referto a central portion of a conveyor system (or descrambling conveyor)used by embodiment robotic carton unloaders. A herringbone-type centraldescrambler may be comprised of a plurality of rows of rollers angled(or skewed) toward a center line in a configuration that resembles aherringbone (or chevron-like) pattern. In various embodiments,herringbone-type central descramblers or central descramblers may becomprised of a plurality of sections (e.g., two, three, etc.) runninglengthwise, such as a front section of rows of rollers and a rearsection of rows of rollers, as well as a left side and a right sideseparated by a center line running lengthwise down the various sections.Further, the terms “manipulator head” and “end effector” and “distalend” may be interchangeably herein to refer to implements coupled torobotic arms of embodiment robotic carton unloaders and configured topick-up, retrieve, and/or otherwise move items within an unloading area,such as a vacuum manipulator configured to pick-up cartons from a cartonwall or carton pile and to place the cartons on a conveyor system of thecarton unloader.

FIGS. 35A-35B illustrate embodiment robotic carton unloaders that mayinclude robotic arms (or robotic carton retrieval arms) that may be of astraddle design and include end effectors (e.g., vacuum manipulators)for retrieving items (e.g., cartons from a carton pile), conveyorsystems (e.g., a descrambling conveyor), and mobile (or vehicle) bodies.Such embodiment robotic carton unloaders may be suitable for efficientand fast unloading of items (e.g., cartons, cardboard boxes, any kind ofproduct container for conveying products, etc.) from unloading areas,such as a truck (or semi) trailer, refrigerated areas, loading docks,etc. For example, a robotic carton unloader according to variousembodiments may be configured to drive into a semi-trailer via itsmobile body, to dislodge or remove cartons from a carton wall or cartonpile stacked on a floor of the semi-trailer via its end effector (e.g.,manipulator head) coupled to the robotic arm, and to transfer or unloadthe dislodged cartons from the semi-trailer and into a store, warehouse,or distribution center unloading bay via its conveyor system thattravels with the mobile body and outputs the cartons to other conveyors.Such embodiment robotic carton unloaders may be capable of removing asubstantial portion of a row of items (e.g., a carton row) that extendsside-to-side across an unloading area (e.g., semi-trailer) with oneremoval action. For example, such robotic carton unloaders may beconfigured to remove between about 40% to about 100% of a carton row inone movement. Designed to move within space-constrained unloading areas,such embodiment robotic carton unloaders may minimize the time andeffort required to efficiently unload and provide basic organization foritems being moved for subsequent processing within facilities, such asdistribution centers.

The embodiment robotic carton unloaders described below may includeconveyor systems (e.g., descrambling conveyor) that pass through roboticarms that straddle the mobile body. By including robotic arms that aremovably coupled to the outside of the chassis's of the mobile bodies,and that straddle the mobile bodies, the robotic carton unloaders mayaccess unloading areas at full width or nearly full width of theunloading areas. These embodiment robotic carton unloaders are capableof having items (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.) pulled from along a fullwidth, or nearly a full width of item walls or piles within unloadingareas (e.g., tractor trailers, etc.). The items may move through thestraddling robotic arms, thus improving the utilization of floor spacerequired for operating within the unloading areas. The full utilizationof floor space within the unloading areas may include operations, suchas bulk descrambling operations, which have previously been limited topost-unloading areas. Conventional techniques do not utilize space insuch a versatile manner, and often are unable to place both robots anddescramblers within unloading areas having limited access room (e.g.,truck trailers, etc.). Thus, embodiment techniques are improvements overthese conventional techniques that are not able to be deployed insimilar conditions to remove items with the high speed and throughput.The various embodiment robotic carton unloaders may enable multipleitems (e.g., cartons), such as two, three, four, five, or more items, tobe unloaded at the same time, resulting in a throughput of at or aboveten items (e.g., cartons) a minute, such as ten items a minute, ten tofifteen items a minute, fifteen items a minute, fifteen to seventeenitems a minute, seventeen items a minute, seventeen to twenty two itemsa minute, seventeen to twenty four items a minute, twenty two items aminute, ten to twenty two items a minute, twenty four items a minute,ten to twenty four items a minute, ten to twenty four items or more aminute, or twenty four items or more a minute.

The various embodiment robotic carton unloaders described below comprisevarious descramblers that not only move items from unloading areas asconveyors, but also organize such items by singulation and descrambling(or unscrambling). In particular, central conveyors of the embodimentrobotic carton unloaders (e.g., herringbone-type central descramblers)may include a plurality of zones of powered rollers that are configuredto move items at different rates such that the items are moved intonarrow lines. Further, embodiment conveyor systems may include front-enddescramblers that also include a plurality of different belts or sets ofrollers that move items at different rates, enabling descrambling ofitems to occur. In some embodiments, such front-end descramblers mayalso include optional outer rows (or wings) of rollers or belts that arecapable of folding up (or down) in order to change the width of thefront-end descrambler, thus allowing the robotic carton unloader to bepositioned within unloading areas (e.g., trailers) of different widths.Having different descramblers on the actual robotic carton unloaders,the various embodiments described below improve over known techniques bynot merely moving items, but also organizing those items before enteringother phases of the unloading process, such as other phases within awarehouse such as a warehouse sorting facilities.

In some embodiments, front-end descramblers may include a center belt(or row) that is powered to move items at a first rate (or speed), twomiddle belts (or rows) that are powered to move items at a second rate(or speed), and two outer belts (or rows or wings) that are powered tomove items at a third rate (or speed). In some embodiments,herringbone-type central descramblers may include at least two sectionsthat both have various zones of powered rollers for descrambling items.

It should be appreciated that references to descramblers, unscramblers,descrambling, or undescrambling may regard the processing of a pluralityof items (e.g., a wide group or row of items) to form a narrowed linefor improved subsequent handling. Such processing may not includestraightening of items.

In various embodiments, a robotic carton unloader may be capable ofunloading a carton pile and may be movable across a floor (e.g., a trucktrailer floor). Such a robotic carton unloader may include a mobilebody, a movable robotic arm attached to the mobile body and including anend effector (or manipulator head) at an end thereof, wherein the endeffector may be configured to unload a row of cartons in a side-by-sideorientation from the carton pile, a descrambling conveyor (or conveyorsystem) mounted on the mobile body and configured to receive the row ofcartons from the end effector in the side-by-side orientation (orconfiguration), wherein the descrambling conveyor may be furtherconfigured to simultaneously move the row of cartons towards a rear ofthe robotic carton unloader and to singulate the cartons while theymove. In some embodiments, the descrambling conveyor may include aplurality of rows of conveyors oriented side by side. In someembodiments, at least one of the conveyors in the plurality of rows maybe configured to move cartons carried thereon at a different speed thanthe other conveyors in the plurality of rows. In some embodiments, atleast one of the conveyors in the plurality of rows may be configured tomove cartons traveling thereon rearwards and towards a center line ofthe descrambling conveyor. In some embodiments, at least one of theconveyors in the plurality of rows may include skewed rollers. In someembodiments, the rollers of the rows of conveyors may be skewed inherringbone patterns. In some embodiments, the conveyors in theplurality of rows of conveyors may include belt conveyors. In someembodiments, the descrambling conveyor may include a front-enddescrambler and a central descrambler (e.g., a herringbone-type centraldescrambler), wherein the front descrambler may feed cartons to thecentral descrambler. In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler maybe pivotally mounted to the mobile body at the intersection of thefront-end descrambler with the central descrambler, wherein thefront-end descrambler may have a front end pivotally movable towards andaway from the floor.

In some embodiments, wherein the descrambling conveyor (or conveyorsystem) includes a central descrambler may include a plurality of rowsconfigured to move the items toward a rear of the conveyor system,wherein the plurality of rows are on both sides of a center line runninga length of the central descrambler. In some embodiments, each of theplurality of rows may comprise a plurality of rollers. In someembodiments, each of the plurality of rollers of the plurality of rowsmay be angled toward the center line. In some embodiments, the pluralityof rows may be associated with a plurality of zones, each zone beingconfigured to move the items at a different speed. In some embodiments,each of the plurality of zones may be associated with a drive belt, amotor, and a variable frequency drive (VFD). In some embodiments, afirst set of zones of the plurality of zones located on a first side ofthe center line of the central descrambler may be configured to move theitems at a faster speed than a second set of zones of the plurality ofzones located on a second side of the center line of the centraldescrambler. In some embodiments, the plurality of zones may includethree zones located on a first side of the center line of the centraldescrambler and three zones located on a second side of the center lineof the central descrambler. In some embodiments, the central descramblermay include a central conveyor and a rear conveyor. In some embodiments,the central descrambler may include two or more standard 28 inch(width)×15 foot (length) sections that are coupled end-to-endlengthwise.

In some embodiments, wherein the descrambling conveyor (or conveyorsystem) includes a central descrambler and a front-end descrambler, thefront-end descrambler may include a plurality of parallel rowsconfigured to move the items toward the central descrambler. In someembodiments, each in the plurality of parallel rows may include one of alight-weight plastic belt or a set of rollers. In some embodiments, eachin the plurality of parallel rows may be configured to move the itemstoward the central descrambler at a different speed. In someembodiments, the plurality of parallel rows may include inner rows andouter-most rows. In some embodiments, the plurality of parallel rows mayinclude three inner rows and two outer-most rows. In some embodiments,the inner rows of the plurality of parallel rows may be configured tomove the items toward the central descrambler at faster speeds than theouter-most rows of the plurality of parallel rows. In some embodiments,a center row of the inner rows of the plurality of parallel rows may beconfigured to move the items toward the central descrambler at a fastspeed, two middle rows of the inner rows of the plurality of parallelrows may be configured to move the items toward the central descramblerat a medium speed, and two outer rows of the outer-most rows of theplurality of parallel rows may be configured to move the items towardthe central descrambler at a slow speed. In some embodiments, each ofthe outer-most rows of the plurality of parallel rows may include asection of rollers configured to move the items diagonally inward towardthe inner rows of the plurality of parallel rows.

In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler may further include aplurality of guides configured to guide the items from the outer-mostrows of the plurality of parallel rows inward toward the inner rows ofthe plurality of parallel rows. In some embodiments, each of theouter-most rows may be configured to individually rotate on an axisparallel to the inner rows. In some embodiments, the front-enddescrambler may be configured to rotate on an axis parallel to a frontedge of the central descrambler. In some embodiments, the front-enddescrambler may be configured to rotate downwards on the axis such thata front edge of the front-end descrambler contacts a floor plane of theunloading area. In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler may beconfigured to rotate upwards on the axis up to a predefined angle. Insome embodiments, the predefined angle is 18 degrees up from a floorplane of the unloading area. In some embodiments, the front-enddescrambler may be configured to move laterally relative to the centraldescrambler. In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler and theherringbone descrambler may be configured to convey cartons from thecarton pile through a robotic arm associated with the manipulator.

In some embodiments, a robotic carton unloader may include a mobile bodymovable across the floor, a conveyor (e.g., a descrambling conveyor orconveyor system) mounted on the mobile body to convey unloaded cartonsthereon, and a robotic arm movably attached to the mobile body with theconveyor passing between movable portions of the robotic arm. In someembodiments, the movable robotic arm may include a distal end (or endeffector or manipulator head) movable with the robotic arm andconfigured to unload cartons from the carton pile and onto the conveyor.In some embodiments, the movable portions of the robot arm may straddleeach side of the conveyor. In some embodiments, the conveyor may extendside to side between the movable robotic arm to maximize the widththereof. In some embodiments, a first portion of the movable robotic armmay pivotally attach to the mobile body below the conveyor. In someembodiments, a portion of the robotic arm may be configured to move sideto side relative to the mobile body to access the carton pile. In someembodiments, the robotic arm may further include a linear actuator tomove the portion of the robotic arm side to side. In some embodiments,the robotic arm may be configured to pivot about at least one axisparallel to a front of the mobile body while moving towards and awayfrom the carton pile. In some embodiments, when the robotic cartonunloader is positioned in front of a carton pile in a truck trailer, themovable robotic arm may be configured to unload any carton from thecarton wall with the end effector without moving the mobile body. Insome embodiments, the robotic carton unloader may include a base securedto the mobile body and a movable arm extending from the base and movablerelative thereto, wherein a counterbalance may connect between the baseand the movable arm. In some embodiments, the counterbalance may be anover-the center design counterbalancing the robot arm when the arm isextending towards the carton pile and away from the carton pile. In someembodiments, the counterbalance may be a spring. In some embodiments,the counterbalance may be a gas spring. In some embodiments, the roboticarm may be configured to move between a first position, a secondposition aligned, and a third position such that the counterbalance isin a first resistance condition when the robotic arm is in the firstposition, the counterbalance is in a neutral resistance condition whenthe robotic arm is in the second position, and the counterbalance is ina second resistance condition when the robotic arm is in the thirdposition.

FIG. 35A shows an embodiment robotic carton unloader 3500 for quicklyand efficiently moving items (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.) from unloadingareas, such as a truck or a semi-trailer, a store, a warehouse, adistribution center, an unloading bay, between product aisles, a rack, apallet, and a freezer. In general, the robotic carton unloader 3500 mayinclude a mobile body 3510 that rolls on wheels and that may be sizedand configured to be positioned within semi-trailers (e.g., driven inand out of), a robotic arm 3530 movably coupled to the mobile body 3510and configured for extending into and retracting out of the unloadingarea for pulling items (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.), and a conveyorsystem 3550 that extends across the top of the mobile body 3510 fromfront to rear and through the robotic arm 3530, which is configured to“straddle” at least portions of the conveyor system 3550.

As described above, in various embodiments, the mobile body 3510 of therobotic carton unloader 3500 may comprise a generally rectangularchassis 3512 movably supported on a four wheel configuration with eachwheel adjacent to a corner of the chassis 3512. The mobile body 3510 maybe attached to the robotic arm 3530 and may include various componentsfor controlling or otherwise moving the robotic carton unloader 3500. Inparticular, the mobile body 3510 may include various drive motors thatmay be generally located inboard from the sides of the robotic cartonunloader 3500 (e.g., a left drive motor to drive a left front drivewheel 3515, a right drive motor to drive a right front drive wheel,etc.). In some embodiments, a left rear wheel 3514 and a right rearwheel may be configured to freewheel. The drive motors may drive andsteer the robotic carton unloader 3500 within an unloading area (e.g.,semi-trailer, etc.). Rotating the drive motors in the same direction maydrive the robotic carton unloader 3500 forward or backward, rotating thedrive motors in opposite directions may pivot the robotic cartonunloader 3500 about a point centered between the front drive wheels, androtating one of the drive motors without rotating the other may pivotthe robotic carton unloader 3500 about the opposite, non-driven drivewheel.

The robotic carton unloader 3500 may also include a conveyor system 3550(e.g., descrambling conveyor) capable of guiding items (e.g., cartons,boxes, etc.) onto and along conveyors (e.g., belts, sets of rollers,etc.) that extends from a front to a rear of the robotic carton unloader3500. Similar to other embodiments described above, the conveyor system3550 may be wide at the front to receive items (e.g., cartons), andnarrow moving from front to rear. The narrowing of the conveyor system3550 may position the unloaded items in a line for discharge. In variousembodiments, the conveyor system 3550 may discharge items at a rear ofthe robotic carton unloader 3500 for collection by laborers or adistribution center conveyor. In some embodiments, the conveyor system3550 may include a rear portion that may be fixed relative to thechassis 3512 that may align or otherwise be used to connect to otherconveyors, belts, platforms, etc. In other embodiments, the rear portionmay be at least partially movable, including being movable to compensatefor or to enable any shifts in the structure of the conveying system.Various motors may be used to drive the various elements of the conveyorsystem 3550 (e.g., the central descrambler 3558, the front-enddescrambler 3556, etc.).

The conveyor system 3550 may include a central section (or centraldescrambler 3558) and a front-end descrambler 3556. The centraldescrambler 3558 may be located on top of the mobile body 3510 and mayrun underneath and through the straddle-design robotic arm 3530. Inother words, the straddle-design robotic arm 3530 may “straddle” thecentral descrambler 3558. As described in detail below, the centraldescrambler 3558 may have various belts or sets of rollers extendingfront-to-rear that may run at different speeds to singulate andunscramble items placed thereon. In particular, the central descrambler3558 may include a plurality of rows, each comprised of a plurality ofrollers and configured to move items toward a rear of the conveyorsystem 3550, wherein the plurality of rows are on both sides of a centerline 3559 running a length of the central descrambler 3558. In someembodiments, the center line 3559 may run lengthwise from the front-enddescrambler 3556 through the rest of the conveyor system 3550 (e.g.,through the central descrambler 3558) to the rear of the robotic cartonunloader 3500.

The front-end descrambler 3556 may be located at the front of the mobilebody 3510 of the robotic carton unloader 3500. In other words, the rearof the front-end descrambler 3556 may be coupled to the front of thecentral descrambler 3558. The front-end descrambler 3556 may bepositioned for catching items as they are dislodged from cartonpiles/walls by the straddle-design robotic arm 3530 and its end effectoror distal end (i.e., a manipulator head 3532). The front-end descrambler3556 may be comprised of a plurality of parallel rows of powered rollersor belts. In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler 3556 may havefive parallel rows 3560 a, 3560 b, 3560 c, 3560 d, 3560 e, as well asguides 3562 a, 3562 b for guiding items from outer rows 3560 a, 3560 eto inner rows 3560 b-3560 d. The rows 3560 a-3560 e may run at differentspeeds to singulate and unscramble items placed thereon. In other words,the front-end descrambler 3556 may act as a mini-unscrambler to organizeand remove items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.). For example, the centerrow 3560 c may run fastest to rapidly draw cartons out of the front-enddescrambler 3556 first, the middle rows 3560 b, 3560 d may run slowerthan the center row 3560 c, and the outer rows 3560 a, 3560 e may runslower than both the center row 3560 c and the middle rows 3560 b, 3560d. In some embodiments, a roller may be placed at the front of thefront-end descrambler 3556 to aid in retrieval of items that are incontact with the floor.

In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler 3556 and/or the centraldescrambler 3558 may be capable of moving side-to-side. For example,front-end descrambler 3556 may be configured to move laterally relativeto the central descrambler 3558.

In various embodiments, devices may be affixed to the chassis 3512 andconnected to the front-end descrambler 3556 to lift the front-enddescrambler 3556 off of a floor to various angular positions (orpredefined angles). For example, via a hydraulic cylinder, the front-enddescrambler 3556 may be raised a number of degrees so that its rows ofbelts or rollers are parallel with the central descrambler 3558. Asanother example, via an electric screw actuator or a pneumatic cylinder,the front-end descrambler 3556 may be raised so that it is at an 18degree angle (e.g., 18 degrees up from a floor plane of the unloadingarea), angled towards the central descrambler 3558 so that any items onthe front-end descrambler 3556 may roll toward the robotic cartonunloader 3500 without tumbling. With respect to devices for lifting thefront-end descrambler 3556, other embodiments of these devices (e.g.,actuators) are not limited to electrical actuators, but can be fluidicactuators operable with compressible or incompressible fluids such asair and oil.

Further, in a similar fashion as described above with reference to thefront portion 136 b, during operation, the front-end descrambler 3556may be angled to meet the changing height of item piles or walls suchthat when a carton pile is at a maximum, the angular position of thefront-end descrambler 3556 may be at a maximum, and when the carton pileis at a minimum, the angular position of the front-end descrambler 3556may be at a minimum. Such pivoting of the front-end descrambler 3556 mayshorten the fall distance of items as they are pulled from itemwalls/piles by the straddle-design robotic arm 3530. In someembodiments, the front-end descrambler 3556 may be rotated (i.e.,raised, lowered) via an electrical actuator such as a motor, but is notlimited thereto. Embodiment conveyor systems are further describedbelow.

The robotic carton unloader 3500 may also have a robotically-controlledcarton remover system including a robotic arm 3530 and a manipulatorhead 3532 that extends frontwards from the mobile body 3510 to dislodgeand unload items from a front and a top of a wall or items (e.g., acarton pile or wall). The robotic arm 3530 may include an arm body 3534and is movably coupled, attached or fixed to the mobile body 3510. Insome embodiments, the manipulator head 3532 may be a vacuum manipulatorhead pivotally attached to the ends of an upper arm of the arm body 3534and may be angularly positioned by a motor (not shown). Various vacuummanipulators may be attached to the manipulator head 3532 to grasp,draw, and drop items (e.g., cartons) from a wall or pile. The roboticarm 3530 is further described in detail below.

In various embodiments, the robotic carton unloader 3500 may alsoinclude a control and visualization system as described above. Such acontrol and visualization system may include various visualizationsensors (e.g., cameras, etc.), operator interfaces (e.g., joysticks,displays, keypads, etc.), and processors, and may be capable ofcontrolling and automating the unloading process, and driving andsteering the robotic carton unloader 3500 into and out of unloadingareas (e.g., semi-trailers) before, during, and after the unloadingprocess. For example, such a control and visualization system mayprovide timing, sequencing, homing routines, and motion control fordrive motors attached to various components of the robotic cartonunloader 3500, such as the front-end descrambler 3556. In someembodiments, the robotic carton unloader 3500 may be configured tocommunicate with an external monitor using a communications system(e.g., an operator interface or Human Machine Interface (HMI) attachedto the conveyor system 3550, etc.).

In some embodiments, a control and visualization system may connect toremote locations or systems with a communication system, such as but notlimited to a Wi-Fi system. For example, such a communications system mayconnect the robotic carton unloader 3500 to an external monitor (e.g., aremote warehouse or distribution center control room, a handheldcontroller, or a computer, etc.) and may provide passive remote viewingthrough the visualization system of the robotic carton unloader 3500.Alternately, the external monitor may override the programming inherentin the control and visualization system of the robotic carton unloader3500 and assume active command and control of the robotic cartonunloader 3500. Programming for the robotic carton unloader 3500 may alsobe communicated, operated and debugged through external systems such asthe communications system and external monitor.

FIG. 35B illustrates an alternative embodiment front-end descrambler3586 of a robotic carton unloader 3580. The front-end descrambler 3586is similar to the front-end descrambler 3556 described above, exceptthat the front-end descrambler 3586 includes belts 3588 a-3588 e, suchas light-weight plastic belts. Similar to the rows described above, thefront-end descrambler 3586 may have five parallel belts 3588 a, 3588 b,3588 c, 3588 d, 3588 e that may run at different speeds to singulate andunscramble items placed thereon. For example, the center belt 3588 c mayrun fastest to rapidly draw items dumped thereon out of the front-enddescrambler 3586 first, and the middle belts 3588 b, 3588 d may runslower than the center belt 3588 c, and the outer belts 3588 a, 3588 emay run slower than both the center belt 3588 c and the middle belts3588 b, 3588 d. There may be a center line 3559 that runs lengthwisefrom the front-end descrambler 3586 through the rest of the conveyorsystem (e.g., through the herringbone-type central descrambler) to therear of the robotic carton unloader 3580.

FIG. 36 illustrates a robotic carton unloader 3600 with descramblersmaneuvering within a truck 3602 to unload items (e.g., cartons) depictedas a pile of items 3604 stacked up within a front of the truck 3602. Theconveyor system 3640 of the robotic carton unloader 3600 may include afront-end descrambler 3620 and a central descrambler 3613 that includesa center conveyor section 3610 and rear conveyor section 3612 that maybe joined together and mounted on top of the mobile body 3601 of therobotic carton unloader 3600. The conveyor system 3640 may receive aplurality of items (e.g., cartons) placed side-by-side in a row on thefront-end descrambler 3620, and may unscramble and singulate the itemsinto a single file line of items that exit from the rear end. The singlefile line of items emerging from the rear end of the conveyor system3640 may be in line with the front-to-rear direction of movement of theitems along the conveyor system 3640. The direction of movement of theemerging items is shown by a directional arrow shown in FIG. 36.

The conveying surface of the conveyor system 3640 (i.e., the centerconveyor section 3610 and rear conveyor section 3612) may comprise rowsof conveyor rollers 3616 that define a conveying surface to move itemsalong. The rows of conveyor rollers 3616 may be configured in a chevronpattern to singulate and unscramble items moving thereon. Whereasconveyor rollers 3616 may be used to unscramble and singulate items(e.g., cartons) placed on the conveyor system 3640 of the robotic cartonunloader 3600, unscrambling and singulation on a robotic carton unloader3600 is not limited thereto.

FIGS. 37A-37C illustrate individual embodiment components of a roboticcarton unloader, including a mobile body 3756, a straddle-design roboticarm 3740 that mounts onto the top of the mobile body 3756, and aconveyor system 3700 with descramblers that mounts onto the mobile body3756 and passes through the robotic arm 3740.

FIG. 37A illustrates the embodiment conveyor system 3700 comprised of atleast a central descrambler 3702 and a front-end descrambler 3710. Theconveyor system 3700 may extend from the front to the rear of a roboticcarton unloader. The conveyor system 3700 may receive, singulate, andmove items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) into a line as the items movefrom the front to the rear along the conveyor system 3700. Variousmotors (not shown) may drive conveyors or belts of the conveyor system3700.

As described above, the front-end descrambler 3710 may comprise aplurality of parallel rows or belts, such as five parallel belts 3712a-3712 e that may run at the same speed or at different speeds tounscramble and singulate items placed thereon. Such rows or belts 3712a-3712 e may move items to enter onto the central descrambler 3702.Further, the front-end descrambler 3710 may be configured to rotate (orpivot) about an axis that is parallel with a front edge 3701 of thecentral descrambler 3702. For example, the front-end descrambler 3710may be configured to rotate downwards on the axis such that a front edge3711 of the front-end descrambler 3710 contacts a floor plane of theunloading area (e.g., the floor of a truck trailer, etc.). As anotherexample, the front-end descrambler 3710 may be configured to rotateupwards on the axis up to a predefined angle, such as 18 degrees up froma floor plane of the unloading area.

In some embodiments, the central descrambler 3702 and/or the front-enddescrambler 3710 may be configured to singulate or to merge items beingcarried thereon away from their respective sides and into theirrespective centers. In some embodiments, the central descrambler 3702may use an active or powered roller belt(s), or any equivalent thereof,such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,018 which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Such an active roller belt(s) mayinclude belt rollers imbedded within that are angled to bias an itemtraveling thereon in a desired direction such as towards a side orcenter of the belt.

In some embodiments, the central descrambler 3702 may be comprised oftwo or more standard 28 inch (width)×15 foot (length) sections (or“mini-scramblers”) that are placed and coupled end-to-end lengthwise.

In some embodiments, the bias can merge items traveling thereon awayfrom the walls of the central descrambler 3702 and/or the front-enddescrambler 3710 and towards their centers by having rollers adjacent toeach wall and angled in different directions that bias an item towards acenter line of the various belts or rows. One conveyor having thesefeatures is the ARB™ Merge 4000 manufactured and sold by Intralox,L.L.C. of Harahan, La., USA. In some embodiments, a plurality of guides3716 a, 3716 b may extend along the sides of the front-end descrambler3710. Guides 3716 a, 3716 b may be angled as shown to guide items alongthe conveyor system 3700.

FIG. 37B illustrates an embodiment robotic arm 3740 (also referred to asa robotic carton retrieval arm). The robotic arm 3740 may be movablymounted on top of a mobile body, such as the mobile body 3756 describedbelow. To lower the center of gravity, portions of the robotic arm 3740may straddle the sides of such a mobile body (i.e., the robotic arm 3740may have a “straddle” design). This design may be beneficial forreducing the space required for the robotic carton unloader to usewithin an unloading area, as the conveyor system 3700 described abovemay be capable of running over and thus occupying the same space as amobile body. In other words, with the straddle design which places thearms generally at or near the outermost extent of the robotic cartonunloading system width dimension, the placement of the robotic arm 3740permits conveyors (and thus items, such as cartons/boxes) to rungenerally below and through the robotic arm 3740, which may not consumeuseful unloading space.

The robotic arm 3740 may include a pair of pivoting arms 3742 a, 3742 band a laterally moving arm 3744 to move and position the manipulatorhead 3750 (e.g., a vacuum manipulator head or end effector or distalend). The pivoting arms 3742 a, 3742 b may move the manipulator head3750 towards and away from as well as up and down from items, such asitems within a wall or pile of items (e.g., a carton pile within a trucktrailer, etc.). The laterally moving arm 3744 may move the manipulatorhead 3750 from side to side relative to the width of the loading area,such as from a left side of a carton pile to the right side of the pile.In some embodiments, the manipulator head 3750 may also be independentlypivotable up and down about a lateral axis. For example, the manipulatorhead 3750 may be pivoted from a position facing a carton pile to aposition facing the floor of a truck trailer in which the carton pileand the robotic carton unloader is located. These movements may enablethe manipulator head 3750 to engage all items within piles or walls ofitems, from floor to ceiling and from side to side, and within differentsized unloading areas (e.g., trailers of different widths and/orheights). When the manipulator head 3750 is pivoted to face the floor,items within an unloading area may be picked up by their top by therobotic arm 3740. This feature is especially beneficial when retrievingitems (e.g., cartons) that rest on the floor of a trailer and/or thatare only accessible from their tops. Movement of the moving portions ofthe robotic arm 3740 may be through electric gear motors or electriclinear motors, but is not limited thereto. While the arms are shown asbeing formed as “U” channels, tubing can also be used.

FIG. 37C illustrates the embodiment mobile body 3756 that may be aseparate stand-alone vehicle configured to receive and to integrate withother components of the robotic carton unloader, or in alternateembodiments, may be constructed as an integral part of a robotic cartonunloader. As shown, the mobile body 3756 may be notched or includerecesses to clear portions of the robotic arm 3740 as described above.Wheels 3758 may be located adjacent to each corner of the mobile body3756 and each may be powered independently to provide movement andsteering. Internally, the mobile body 3756 may include an internalstructural frame, wheel drive motors, a vehicle controller, and anenergy source, such as batteries or gas generator (e.g., liquid propane(LP) gas generator) to power the robotic carton unloader and optionallypower pressurized fluid and vacuum sources. The robotic carton unloaderand a mobile body 3756 may also be powered by connecting or tetheringthe robotic carton unloader to electrical sources found within awarehouse, store or distribution center. Additionally, the roboticcarton unloader may connect to other external sources for pressurizedfluid and vacuum. FIGS. 37D-37F illustrate an embodiment robotic cartonunloader 3760 including of a mobile body, a robotic arm 3762 with amanipulator head 3764 and a conveyor system 3765 including a front-endsection 3766 (e.g., a front-end descrambler, a “nose” conveyor, etc.)and a central section 3768 (e.g., a herringbone-type centraldescrambler), and a rear conveyor 3770. The robotic arm 3762 andconveyor system 3765 (e.g., the front-end descrambler andherringbone-type central descrambler) may be configured to move (i.e.,translate or slide) laterally (i.e., side-to-side). Such an embodimentrobotic carton unloader 3760 may be beneficial in enabling betterretrieval, singulating, and descrambling of items from walls or pilesdue to the side-to-side movements of both the robotic arm 3762 andconveyor system 3765. In particular, the robotic carton unloader 3760may be able to remove an item (e.g., carton) to the side of the roboticcarton unloader 3760 once inside an unloading area. For example, such anitem may be a box or carton located to the side of a trailer. Tomaneuver the manipulator head 3764 of the robotic arm 3762 (e.g., avacuum manipulator head) sideways to gain clearance to pass arounditems, the front-end section 3766 and the central section 3768 of theconveyor system 3765 may be moved laterally. The robotic arm 3762 mayalso be moved laterally relative to the front-end section 3766 andcentral section 3768 to provide clearance for the manipulator head 3764.Manipulators of the manipulator head 3764 may be movable laterally onrails in order to move laterally to place side interactive elements(e.g., vacuum cups) of the manipulator head 3764 into contact with itemsto the side of the robotic carton unloader 3760. Once the item is pickedup, the front-end section 3766 and central section 3768 may be movedlaterally along with the manipulators of the manipulator head 3764 toposition the picked-up item over the front-end section 3766 for release.In some embodiments, the item (shown in FIG. 37F as box 3771) may be atan angle as it goes from the central section 3768 to the rear conveyor3770 when the conveyor system 3765 and robotic arm 3762 have beentranslated from their center position. In some embodiments, the roboticarm 3762 and conveyor system 3765 may be configured to move along alinear slide mounted to the front of the mobile body of the roboticcarton unloader 3760. In some embodiment, a vertical hinge plate maymount onto the front of the linear slide, and the front-end section 3766may hinge off of the vertical hinge plate. Further, an actuator may beattached to the vertical hinge plate and the front-end section 3766 toraise the front-end section 3766. In some embodiments, the roboticcarton unloader 3760 may include a “nose conveyor lift cylinder” mountedin front of the front wheels of the mobile body capable of lifting thefront-end section 3766. In various embodiments, cameras or other sensors(e.g., distance sensors) may be utilized to provide visualization andguide the robotic carton unloader into an unloading area (e.g., asemi-trailer). For example, such distance sensors may act like “curbfeelers” that use contact to measure distance from the walls of theunloading area to the robotic carton unloader 3760. Alternately,distance sensors may use light, sound, or other methods to sensedistance. FIG. 37D illustrates the embodiment robotic carton unloader3760 with the robotic arm 3762 and conveyor system 3765 in a centered(or non-translated) position. FIG. 37E illustrates the embodimentrobotic carton unloader 3760 with the robotic arm 3762 and conveyorsystem 3765 in a translated position such that the robotic arm 3762 andconveyor system 3765 are moved laterally to the right. FIG. 37Fillustrates the embodiment robotic carton unloader 3760 with the roboticarm 3762 and conveyor system 3765 in a translated position such that therobotic arm 3762 and conveyor system 3765 are moved laterally to theleft. FIG. 37G illustrates the robotic carton unloader 3760 accessing aside item 3772 (e.g., a carton) with a side manipulator cup 3774 (e.g.,a vacuum cup) of a manipulator 3778 of the manipulator head 3764 (e.g.,a vacuum manipulator head) of the robotic arm 3762 configured to movelaterally as described above with reference to FIGS. 37D-F. Themanipulator 3778 may be positioned perpendicular to other manipulatorguide rods 3782 having other manipulator cups 3780. The item 3772 may bepicked up by the side manipulator cup 3774 when the manipulator 3778(e.g., outer vacuum manipulator) is moved laterally on rails 3776 and toplace the side manipulator cup 3774 into contact with the item 3772. Forexample, when vacuum is applied to the side manipulator cup 3774, theitem 3772 may be picked up. A tray 3788 may also slide sideways forsupport, such as with a placement shown by the line 3789.

FIG. 38 illustrates an embodiment robotic carton loading system 3800 andshows a perspective view of components of a robotic arm such as a cartonretrieval arm 3830, including a supporting frame or base 3801, acarton-engaging end effector or distal end (e.g., manipulator head3810), and counterbalancing units 3850. The carton retrieval arm 3830may be referred to as a “straddle arm” configuration, whereby the armstraddles the conveying system on the sides thereof. The straddle armconfiguration maximizes the area of the conveying system forfacilitating maximum throughput by minimizing or eliminatingobstructions which may arise from the carton retrieval arm 3830 locatedwithin the unloading area. The width of the carton retrieval arm 3830provide additional advantages in that a wide carton engaging head unitmay be used to provide a wider area for engaging cartons or articles.The carton retrieval arm 3830 may be configured such that cartons maypass through the sides of the arm structure, such as while the cartonretrieval arm 3830 is operative to place cartons on a conveyor system.The carton retrieval arm 3830 may articulate about at least onehorizontal axis to retract and extend to engage cartons, such as forplacement on a conveyor system that may include descrambling,singulating, and other systems. Because the carton retrieval arm 3820 isconfigured with arms that articulate about a horizontal axis, the widthbetween the side of the carton retrieval arm may be maximized and, insome cases, may extend to the full width or nearly to the full width ofthe unloading space (e.g., the width of a trailer).

The counterbalancing units 3850 may be configured to couple to thecarton retrieval arm 3830, such as at the lower axis to counterbalanceforces from loads, particularly when the carton retrieval arm 3830 is inthe fully extended or fully retracted positions. The loads may be fromthe arm components themselves and from cartons which are engaged by themanipulator head 3810.

In embodiments, the manipulator head 3810 may be configured with a framethat supports carton engaging mechanisms. For example, the manipulatorhead 3810 may be configured with a series of vacuum heads 3811 along thefront portion and the side portions of the manipulator head 3810, suchas along a frame thereof. In embodiments, the manipulator head 3810 mayhave a three axis ability to grasp a carton. For example, themanipulator head 3810 may move forward and backward, rotationally up anddown, and from side to side. The manipulator head 3810 may be configuredto provide side to side movement such that a face of a stack of cartons(i.e., a carton face) may be fully engaged, even at the side mostextremes, as will be described in greater detail below.

As illustrated in FIG. 39A-39D, a carton retrieval arm 3930 coupled tocounterbalancing units 3950 may be configured as an arm body thatstraddles a carton guide system and may be attached to mobile body 3903by a frame or rails 3901. One end of the cylinder 3951 of thecounterbalancing units 3950 may be attached to the arm body 3905 at acoupling 3953 b, which may be fixed to the cylinder 3951. The cylinder3951 may include a shaft 3955 having a movable coupling 3953 a attachedto the robotic arm 3930. A conveyor system 3970 may also be coupled tothe mobile body 3903. The carton retrieval arm 3930 may have a lower armportion 3930 a and an upper arm portion 3930 b on each side of thestraddling arm configuration. In some embodiments, rails 3901 may enablethe arm body to move forward or side-to-side relative to the mobile body3903. The lower arm portion 3930 a may pivotally attach to the arm bodyand may be angularly positioned about a lower arm axis 3933 by lowermotors. The upper arm portion 3930 b pivotally attaches to the ends ofthe lower arm portion 3930 a about an upper axis 3931 and may beangularly positioned by an upper motor. A manipulator head 3910 (or endeffector or distal end), such as a vacuum manipulator head, may bepivotally attached to the ends of the upper arm 3920 b and may beangularly positioned by vacuum motor. In embodiments, the manipulatorhead 3910 may include vacuum manipulators 3911, which are attached tothe manipulator head 3910 to grasp, draw, and drop a carton 3990 from acarton wall or carton pile (e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 39D).

The embodiment carton retrieval arm 3930 may mount on top of the mobilebody 3903 so as to lower the center of gravity. For example, portions ofthe carton retrieval arm 3930 may straddle the sides of the mobile body3903. The mobile body 3903 may include a recess to clear other portionsof the carton retrieval arm 3930. The carton retrieval arm 3930 mayinclude a pair of pivoting arms 3930 a, 3930 b on each side and alaterally moving arm 3930 c to move and position the vacuum manipulatorhead 3910. The pivoting arms 3930 a, 3930 b of the carton retrieval arm3930 may move the manipulator head 3910 towards and away from the cartonpile, and up and down from the top to the bottom of the carton pile. Thelaterally moving arm 3930 c may move the manipulator head 3910 from sideto side relative to the carton pile. The manipulator head 3910 may alsobe pivotable from at least a position facing the carton pile (e.g., ArmPositions A-C, shown in FIG. 39A-FIG. 39C) to a position facing thefloor of the trailer (e.g., Arm Position D in FIG. 39D). These movementsmay enable the manipulator head 3910 to engage cartons 3990 within thecarton pile from floor to ceiling and from side to side, and withindifferent sized trailers. When the manipulator head 3910 is pivoted toface the floor, the carton 3990 may be picked up by a top of the carton3990 as illustrated in FIG. 39D. This feature may be especiallybeneficial when retrieving the carton 3990 when it is resting on thefloor of the trailer, or when it is otherwise only accessible from thetop of the carton 3990. Movement of the moving portions of the cartonretrieval arm 3930 may be driven through electric motors or electriclinear motors, including motors driven by gears, belts, chains, and soon, but is not limited thereto. Further, while the arms of the cartonretrieval arm 3930 are shown as being formed as “U” channels, or similarstructures, tubing may also be used to form the arms or other features.

As shown in FIG. 39A-FIG. 39D, the carton retrieval arm 3930 may have anarm body 3905 that mounts onto the mobile body 3903. The arm body 3905may have at least one cross member extending between sides thereof thatcan be notched to receive the mobile body 3903 within. The arm body 3905may further comprise body attachment points to secure the cartonretrieval arm 3930 to the mobile body 3903. In embodiments, the lowerarm 3930 a may have a first end that pivotally attaches to the side ofthe arm body 3905 at the lower arm axis 3933 and a second end thatpivotally attaches to a middle arm or upper arm 3930 b at the upper armaxis 3931. The lower arm axis 3933 may be defined by the pivotalattachment of the first end of the lower arm 3930 a to the arm body 3905on each side thereof. The upper arm axis 3931 may be defined by thepivotal attachment of the second end of the lower arm 3930 a to theupper arm 3930 b on each side. A lower member, such as a tube or shaft,may extend along the lower arm axis 3933 to connect each lower arm 3930a together, and may form part of the pivotal attachment of the lowerarms 3930 a to the arm body 3905. A lower gear motor or actuator mayattach to the arm body 3905 to engage with the lower arms 3930 a viagearing to pivot the lower arms 3920 a about the lower arm axis 3933.

The upper arm 3930 b may pivotally extend from the second end of thelower arms 3930 a and rotate around the upper pivot axis 3931. Eachupper arm 3930 b, and the second portion of the lower arm 3930 a wherejoined at the upper arm axis 3931 may be joined on each side by an upperjoining member, which may be a tube or shaft that connects the upperarms 3930 b (and the second ends of the lower arms 3930 a) togetherabout the upper arm axis 3931, and may form a part of the pivotalattachment of the upper arms 3930 b to the lower arms 3930 a. Upper arms3930 b may extend away from the upper arm axis 3931 and may terminate ina slide that couples to an end arm 3930 c. The end arm 3930 c may coupleto and facilitate movement of laterally movable head unit 3910. A upperarm gear motor or actuator may be attached, such as to the lower arm3930 a to engage with the upper arm 3930 b via gearing, to pivot theupper arms 3930 b about the upper arm axis 3931. In other embodiments,the upper arm axis 3931 and the lower arm axis 3933, and the lower arm3930 a and upper arm 3930 b, may be driven independently on each side,or on at least one side, by drive motors positioned coaxially the axisat the axis location, and the joining members may be omitted.

In embodiments, the end arms 3930 c may attach to an end plate 3935 thatmovably attaches the end arms 3930 c to lateral slides or otherstructures that may serve to space the end arms 3930 c apart. Lateralslides may be oriented to facilitate lateral movement of the end arms3930 c. A linear motor may be secured to the ends of the upper arms 3930b adjacent to the lateral slides and may drive lateral movement of theend arms 3930 c. Actuation of the linear motor may move the end arms3930 c laterally.

Additional aspects in connection with an embodiment robotic cartonloading system 4000 are illustrated in FIG. 40A-40C. The embodimentrobotic carton loading system 4000 may include a manipulator head 4010,a control unit 4020, a robotic arm 4030, a counterbalance unit 4050 anda conveyor system 4090. Traditional counterbalance systems provide acounterbalance connection between points on a robot arm itself and donot connect to the base of the robot arm. In contrast to traditionalrobot arm counterbalances, the embodiment counterbalance unit 4050 maybe connected between the robotic arm 4030 and base supporting therobotic arm 4030, such as the arm body 4005, the frame 4001, or themobile body 4003. In this manner, the embodiment counterbalance unit4050 may advantageously provide a counterbalancing force when therobotic arm 4030 is placed in various positions, such as thoseillustrated in FIG. 39A-39D, based on the connection between the roboticarm 4030 and the arm body 4005, the frame 4001, or the mobile body 4003.The counterbalance unit 4050 may counterbalance forces that aregenerated as the robotic arm 4030 moves through different positions,such as to engage and move cartons for placement on or near the conveyorsystem 4090 during operation. In a first position illustrated in FIG.40A, the robotic arm 4030 may be in a retracted position that may be atleast partially supported by the counterbalance unit 4050. Thecounterbalance unit 4050 may be configured with a damping element, suchas spring 4057 that resists forces applied against it in a compressiondirection of the spring 4057. The counterbalance unit 4050 may attach atone end to lower arms 4030 a, such as in a vicinity of a lower axis 4033in a position outside of the arm body 4005 and to the arm body 4005 atthe other end. The counterbalance 4050 may be configured tocounterbalance the weight of the robotic arm 4030 and any cartonscaptured therewith. In some embodiments, the spring 4057 may be a gasspring.

The counterbalance unit 4050 may include a shaft 4055 that extendsthrough the spring 4057 within a cylinder 4051 that encloses at leastthe spring 4057 and the shaft 4055. The shaft 4055 may attach at one endto a piston or an end plate 4059 a within the cylinder 4051. The shaft4055 may be coupled at the other end to a movable coupling 4053 a thatattaches to the lower arm 4030 a in the vicinity of a first end of thecylinder 4051. The other end of the cylinder 4051 may be attached to thearm body 4005 at a coupling 4053 b, which may be fixed to the cylinder4051. The end of the shaft 4055 may be coupled to the end plate 4059 asuch that the end plate 4059 a contacts and contains or retains one endof the spring 4057 as the shaft 4055 moves in and out of the cylinder4051 with the movement of the lower arm 4030 a. The other end of thespring 4057 may contact a cylinder end 4059 b at an inner surface of acylinder 4051. As the shaft 4055 moves out from the cylinder 4051, thespring 4057 may be compressed between the end plates 4059 a and 4059 b,which may provide a resisting force that opposes the outward movement ofthe shaft 4055. When the shaft 4055 moves into the cylinder 4051, thecompression of the spring 4057 may be relieved. The tension of thespring 4057 may be configured such that it provides a resistive force tomovements of the shaft 4055 both in and out of the cylinder 4051.Alternatively the spring 4057 may be configured to resist movement ofthe shaft 4055 in one direction only. While the counterbalance unit 4050is described herein as a spring unit, it is not limited thereto. Otherconfigurations for the counterbalance unit 4050 are possible, such as agas cylinder and piston system, hydraulic fluid and piston system, or acombination of gas, fluid, mechanical or spring systems, and so on.

In the various embodiments, the robotic arm 4030 may be configured as atoggle arm, or “over the center” configuration that pivots within arange close to a vertical line “C” drawn through the pivot axis, such asthe lower axis 4053 of the robotic arm 4030 and perpendicular to themobile body 4003. In FIG. 40A and FIG. 40C the robotic arm 4030 may bein the retracted and the extended positions, respectively, where springforce may be relatively high. The counterbalance unit 4050 maycompensate for forces generated from the robotic arm 4030 at thesepositions or at the fully retracted or fully extended extremes ofmovement of the robotic arm 4030 where the spring forces may bemaximized. As illustrated in FIG. 40B, the robotic arm 4030 may be movedto a “neutral” position. In such a position, the spring 4057 may befully extended and the spring forces may be minimized (e.g., lower thanthe relatively high force exerted in the retracted and extendedpositions of FIGS. 40A and 40C). Further movement of the arm 4030, ineither an extending or a retracting direction, may cause the spring 4057to be compressed as described herein above and provide a resisting forcethat counterbalances the forces of the robotic arm 4030. Thecounterbalancing unit 4050 thereby may have a stabilizing effect on themovement of the robotic arm 4030.

Additional details of an embodiment robotic carton loading system 4000are illustrated in FIG. 40D and FIG. 40E, which are perspective views ofan exemplary robotic carton loading system including an exemplaryrobotic arm. For example, the robotic arm 4030 may include drive motors4041, which may be located on an inner portion of the joint between thelower arm 4030 a and the upper arm 4030 b. The drive motors 4041 may belocated so as to be coaxial or approximately coaxial with the axis 4031.For example, a central drive gear or mechanism of the drive motors 4041may be offset from the axis 4031 so as to engage a receiving gear ormechanism of the upper arm 4030 b. In embodiments, the drive motors 4041may include gear drive or other drive mechanisms to drive the upper arm4030 b. The drive motors 4041 may be coupled to an inner surface of theupper arm 4030 b. Alternatively, the drive motors may be mounted to agear drive assembly or other drive assembly, which, in turn, may bemounted directly to the inner surface of the upper arm 4030 b or areceiving drive assembly of the upper arm 4030 b. The robotic arm 4030may further include drive motors 4043, which may be located on an innerportion of the joint between the lower arm 4030 a and a frame portion4005 b of the main arm body 4005. The drive motors 4043 may bepositioned so as to be below a pass-through conveying platform ormechanism that may extend through the robotic carton unloading systemand the robotic arm 4030. The drive motors 4043 may be coupled to aninner surface of the lower arm 4030 a. Alternatively, the drive motors4043 may be mounted to a gear drive assembly or other drive assembly,which, in turn, may be mounted directly to the inner surface of thelower arm 4030 a or a receiving drive assembly of the lower arm 4030 a.In embodiments, the upper arm 4030 b and the drive motors 4041 and thedrive motors 4043 may be mounted inboard of the lower arms 4030 abecause the outer surface of the lower arms 4030 a may define the outerdimension of the robotic carton loading system 4000 and may be veryclose to the sidewalls of a truck, container, or other carton storageand unloading space.

In embodiments, the upper arm 4030 b may extend away from the axis 4031and may terminate in a lateral slide 4037 that attaches at least one endarm 4030 c to each upper arm 4030 b. The end arm 4030 c can attach to anend plate 4035 that movably attaches the end arm 4030 d to the lateralslide 4037 and that defines a width of the end arm 4030 c. The lateralslide 4037 is oriented to move the end arm 4030 c laterally along anaxis C. A linear motor 4013 may be secured to the ends of the upper arms4030 b adjacent to the lateral slide 4037 and may have a laterallymovable connection 4039 that connects to the end plate 4035 or end arms4030 c. Actuation of the linear motor 4013 moves the connection 4039which moves the end arm 4030 c laterally. The end arm 4030 c may furtherbe coupled to a manipulator head 4010, which may also be moved laterallywith the lateral movement of the end arm 4030 c.

The manipulator head 4010 may be pivotally attached a free end or endsof the end arm 4030 c and may be pivoted about a head pivot axis along apivot arc D′. A head motor 4011 may be centrally mounted onto the endarm 4030 c and may extend towards the end plate 4035 on one end andtoward the manipulator head 4010 on the other end. The head motor 4011may rotate the manipulator head 4010 about the head pivot axis along thepivot arc D′ with a system that may comprise a combination of a gearboxand a belt drive system, such as the system described below withreference to FIG. 41A.

Further details of components of a robotic carton unloading system 4104,including the manipulator head 4110 are illustrated in FIG. 41A. Asdescribed above, a manipulator head 4110 may be pivotally attached tothe end of end arm 4130 c. The end arm 4130 c may be pivotally attachedto the upper arm 4130 b. The pivoting of the manipulator head 4110 maybe driven by a head motor 4117. The head motor 4117 may drive a belt4111 a, which may be positioned on an outside of the sides of the endarm 4130 c. The belt 4111 a may drive a shaft 4112. The shaft 4112 mayextend through both sides of the end arm 4130 c and may be rotatablysecured thereto. A pulley 4115 may be attached to each end of the shaft4112 on an outside of each side of the end arm 4130 c. As shown, thepulleys 4115 may also be attached to each side of manipulator head 4110such as at pulleys 4119 allowing the manipulator head 4110 to move aboutthe head pivot axis on the pivot arc D′. A bearing may be attached tothe end arms 4130 c behind each of the pulleys 4115 and 4119 with eachbearing supporting a shaft connected to the pulleys 4115 and 4119. Ahead belt 4111 b may extend between pulleys 4115 and 4119 along aninside of each side of the end arm 4130 c and attached to a pulley 4111c. The head belt 4111 b may transmit rotary motion from the shaft 4112to the pivot the manipulator head 4110. In embodiments, the manipulatorhead 4110 may be configured with banks of vacuum rods 4170, which may beused to grip cartons though a series of vacuum cups 4170 a. Additionalside vacuum rods 4170 b may be located on sides of the manipulator head4110 to engage cartons that are along a side of a loading space. Theside vacuum rods 4170 b may allow cartons to be accessed from the side,such as without the need to retract the robotic carton unloading arm ormobile base, which provides greater flexibility and efficiency. Therobotic arm 4130 may further include drive motors 4143.

In embodiments, the manipulator head 4110 comprises a manipulator frame4173 that pivotally attaches to the end arm 4130 c at the head pivotaxis D-D. The manipulator frame 4173 may provide a structure to supportall components of the manipulator head 4110, which may be a vacuummanipulator head. The drive belt 4111 b may extend through the end arm4130 c and attach to the pulleys 4119 which may be secured to themanipulator frame 4173 inboard of sides of the end arm 4130 c. Themanipulator head 4110 may be any type manipulator head, such as thevacuum manipulators described above with reference to FIGS. 8-33C. Whilevacuum manipulators may be described and illustrated with reference toFIGS. 35A-59D and elsewhere, it will be appreciated that othermanipulators units may also be used with a laterally movableconfiguration. For example, claw heads, tray heads, or combinations ofhead technologies may all benefit from the features described herein invarious embodiments of the robotic arm 4130.

It will be appreciated that the lower axis (e.g., 4033) of the lowerrobotic arm, the upper axis (e.g., 4031) of the upper robotic arm, thelateral movement axis of the slide (e.g., 4037), and the head pivot axisD-D may all be parallel. Thus, in embodiments, the manipulator head 4110may have a three axis ability to grasp a carton 4190. FIGS. 41B and 41Cshow a top view of the manipulator head 4110 which may be additionallyconfigured to grasp and remove a carton 4190 from an unloading space,such as a trailer or other space. In the view of FIG. 41B showingembodiment 4101, the linear motor 4113 has moved the manipulator head4110 along the slide 4037 on the axis C-C to a side most position A. Asshown, the vacuum rods 4173 a may grasp and pull a single carton from acarton pile along a first axis. In embodiments, the manipulator head4110 may further be configured to engage a carton 4190 which ispositioned on a side of the manipulator head 4110 on a secondperpendicular axis. As shown in the embodiment 4102 of FIG. 41C, themanipulator head 4110 may engage the carton 4190 even when against aside B of the unloading space by moving laterally along the slide 4037toward the side B. The side vacuum rods 4170 b may grasp the carton4190, such as by extending and retracting along the second axis. Thus,the side vacuum rods 4173 b may be configured to grasp and manipulatepackages stuck against the walls of a loading space such as the interiorof semi-trailer. As can be seen in FIG. 39D, the manipulator head 4110may be configured to be rotated to face the vacuum rods 4170 a towardsthe floor in order to grasped a carton by a top thereof and lift thecarton vertically.

To power the vacuum rods 4170 a and the side vacuum rods 4170 b, aflexible or partially flexible fluid conducting line such as an air-linemay be extended along the end arm 4130 c to the manipulator head 4110.Air can be delivered to the air-line by an on-board air pump that isbuilt into robotic carton unloader system 4000 or can be provided froman outside source such as compressed air conducted from the warehouse ordistribution center.

The embodiment robotic carton loader system as described herein providesdistinct advantages over a more conventional system 4200, by maximizingaccess to cartons within a loading area. As illustrated in FIG. 42, arobot arm 4210 that is articulated at lateral pivots 4211 and 4213 maylimit access of a head unit 4215 to a carton pile 4290. For example asan arm portion 4210 b, which laterally articulates about a pivot 4213,moves between end positions, a zone of inaccessibility 4220 may existnear the ends of travel of the arm portions 4210 b. The zone ofinaccessibility 4220 represents an area of limited access to the cartonpile 4290 for a particular position of insertion of the arm 4210 into aloading area.

In contrast, an embodiment robotic carton unloader system 4300, asillustrated in FIG. 43, may provide enhanced access to a carton pile4390. An arm assembly 4311 may move into and out of the carton unloadingarea. A lateral drive assembly 4313 may move a manipulator head 4315laterally between end positions (e.g., sidewall of a truck or unloadingspace). The lateral linear movement of the manipulator head 4315 mayprovide access to all areas of a face of the carton pile 4390, thusincreasing unloading efficiency.

FIG. 44A illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment conveyor system4400 including a herringbone-type central descrambler 4410 and afront-end descrambler 4420. As described above, the front-enddescrambler 4420 may include a plurality of rows of belts or rollers formoving items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) from the front to the back endof the front-end descrambler 4420. For example and as shown in FIG. 44,the front-end descrambler 4420 may include five individual rows 4422a-4422 e (i.e., three inner rows and two outer-most rows), eachcomprised of a set of rollers configured to move items at differentspeeds. In some embodiments and as described above, the outer-most rows422 a, 422 e may include sections 4424 a, 4424 b configured to moveitems inward to the inner rows 422 b-422 d. For example, the sections4424 a, 4424 b may include a plurality of rollers (or a section ofrollers) configured and oriented to drive items diagonally inward at acertain angle. In some embodiments, each of the rows 4422 a-4422 e ofthe front-end descrambler 4420 may be comprised of a powered beltpowered to move at various speeds. Further, and as described above, theherringbone-type central descrambler 4410 may be comprised of aplurality of powered or driven rollers that are configured to singulateand descramble items as they are moved from the front to the back of theherringbone-type central descrambler 4410. As described above, thefront-end descrambler 4420 may also include guides 4430 a, 4430 b angledsuch that items (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.) coming into contact withthe guides 4430 a, 4430 b may be directed inward toward the inner rows4422 b-4422 d. FIG. 44B shows a top view of the embodiment conveyorsystem 4400 that includes the front-end descrambler 4420 and theherringbone-type central descrambler 4410.

In some embodiments, a front-end descrambler may be configured to moveor be re-positioned relative to a herringbone-type central descrambler.Accordingly, FIG. 45A illustrates a top view of a conveyor system 4500including a front-end descrambler 4520 configured to move laterallyrelative to a herringbone-type central descrambler 4510. For example,the front-end descrambler 4520 may be configured to move side-to-side intwo directions (e.g., left or right) along a track parallel to the floorof an unloading area (e.g., parallel to a truck trailer floor). Adistance 4530 (‘d’ shown in FIG. 45A) illustrates an exemplary offsetfrom the herringbone-type central descrambler 4510 that may occur due tosuch a side-to-side movement of the front-end descrambler 4520. Invarious embodiments, such lateral movements of the front-end descrambler4520 may be driven by hydraulic or chain-driven mechanisms that mayrequire various motor units.

FIG. 45B illustrates a top view of a conveyor system 4550 including afront-end descrambler 4570 configured to pivot relative to aherringbone-type central descrambler 4560. For example, the front-enddescrambler 4570 may be configured to rotate on a pivot point 4582 inboth directions on a particular axis (e.g., on a plane parallel to thefloor of an unloading area). An angle 4580 (‘a’ shown in FIG. 45B)illustrates an exemplary rotation about the pivot point 4582 that mayoccur due to such a pivoting functionality. In various embodiments, suchlateral movements of the front-end descrambler 4520 may be driven byhydraulic or chain-driven mechanisms that may require various motorunits.

FIGS. 46-49 illustrate various embodiment herringbone-type centraldescramblers. As described above, in various embodiments, robotic cartonunloaders may include conveyor systems that include center sectionsconfigured to not only move items (e.g., boxes, etc.) from front torear, but also to singulate and descramble the items within theunloading area. In particular, herringbone-type central descramblers,coupled to the mobile body of the robotic carton unloader, may moveitems (e.g., cartons) arriving in a large or spread manner from aplurality of rows from a front-end descrambler to a center path and mayseparate the items into a follow-the-leader path. Some gapping may occurwith such descrambling and singulation, with an end result being a lineof separated items. In other words, side-to-side orientation of itemsarriving on the herringbone-type descrambler may be converted generallyto an in-line line orientation.

FIG. 46 illustrates various zones of a herringbone-type centraldescrambler 4600 portion of a conveyor system configured to mount onto amobile body of a robotic carton unloader as described above. In someembodiments, the herringbone-type central descrambler 4600 may include acenter conveyor 4601 (or center conveyor section) and a rear conveyor4602 (or rear conveyor section).

Conveyor rollers 4612 may be configured in rows and zones to bias items(e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.) being moved by the herringbone-type centraldescrambler 4600. In particular, the conveyor rollers 4612 may bealigned (or angled) to cause items to be carried inward towards a centerline 4620 of the herringbone-type central descrambler 4600, and toseparate or singulate the items. The center line 4620 may bisect theherringbone-type central descrambler 4600 lengthwise along the directionof movement of the items. For example, when the herringbone-type centraldescrambler 4600 comprises both the center conveyor 4601 and the rearconveyor 4602, both the center conveyor 4601 and rear conveyor 4602 maybe bisected lengthwise by the center line 4620.

Conveyor rollers 4612 may be skewed at angles relative to the centerline 4620 to create nested chevrons of conveyor rollers extending frontto rear along the center line 4620. In some embodiments, each chevronmay comprise four conveyor rollers with two coaxial conveyor rollersextending at a skew angle from each side of the center line 4620 asshown. Each skew angle may comprise about 81 degrees from center line4620.

Further, each conveyor roller in a chevron may belong to a row of skewedconveyor rollers extending generally lengthwise and parallel to thecenter line 4620. In particular, the skewed conveyor rollers of thecenter conveyor 4601 may comprise rows 4630 a, 4630 b, 4630 c, 4630 d asshown. Inner rows 4630 b, 4630 c may comprise inside rows extending fromboth sides of the center line 4620, and outer rows 4630 a, 4630 d maycomprise exterior rows located outside of the inner rows 4630 b, 4630 c.The skewed conveyor rollers of the rear conveyor 4602 may comprisechevrons that nest within the chevrons of the center conveyor 4601 andmay comprise rows 4632 a-4632 d extending generally lengthwise andparallel to the center line 4620. Inner rows 4632 b, 4632 c may compriseinner rows adjacent to center line 4620 and outer rows 4632 a, 4632 dmay comprise exterior rows on the outside thereof. Each of the rows 4632a, 4632 b, 4632 c, and 4632 d may align lengthwise with the rows 4630 a,4630 b, 4630 c, 4630 d. For example, a first row 4630 a and second row4632 a may align lengthwise.

The nested chevron orientation of the skewed conveyor rollers may biasitems (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) being propelled on theherringbone-type central descrambler 4600 inwards towards the centerline 4620. When items pass across the center line 4620 and contactconveyor rollers 4612 on the other side, the items may be biased backtowards the center line 4620. The path of an item being propelled on theherringbone-type central descrambler 4600 may weave back and forthacross the center line 4620. To unscramble and singulate such items, theconveyor rollers 4612 may be driven as zones 4640 a-4640 f of conveyorrollers running at different speeds. Each zone 4640 a-4640 f of conveyorrollers may be driven by a different motor, and each motor may be avariable speed motor that may be set to run at a speed that may bedifferent than other motors. In some embodiments, the herringbone-typecentral descrambler 4600 may comprise six different zones 4640 a-4640 fof conveyor rollers 4612, with three zones on either side of the centerline 4620, with each zone driven by a different motor and havingdifferent velocities.

FIG. 47 illustrates a bottom view of an embodiment herringbone-typecentral descrambler 4600 portion of a conveyor system configured tomount onto a mobile body of a robotic carton unloader as describedabove. The herringbone-type central descrambler 4600 may comprise sixdifferent motors 4720 a-4720 f. Each motor 4720 a-4720 f may drive oneof belts 4730 a-4730 f (or drive belts), and each belt 4730 a-4730 f maycontact and drive one of the six zones of conveyor rollers, as describedabove with reference to FIG. 46. Each zone of conveyor rollers maycomprise one or more rows, such as described above. Each motor 4720a-4720 f may run at a selected speed that may be different than anothermotor, and thus each zone of conveyor rollers may run at a differentspeed.

The following is an illustration of exemplary movement speeds associatedwith various motors, rows of rollers, and zones described in FIGS.46-47. The description below of rows of rollers, zones, and speeds aremeant to be examples, and thus are not intended to limit the variousembodiments. A first motor 4720 a may drive a first belt 4730 a thatcontacts and drives the second row 4630 b of rollers that may comprisethe first zone 4640 a of conveyor rollers. In some embodiments, thefirst motor 4720 a may cause items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) to bemoved at a first speed, such as at about 185 feet per minute. A secondmotor 4720 b may drive a second belt 4730 b that contacts and drives thethird row 4630 c of rollers that may comprise the second zone 4640 b ofconveyor rollers. In some embodiments, the second motor 4720 b may causeitems (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) to be moved at a second speed, suchas at about 466 feet per minute. A third motor 4720 c may drive a belt4730 c and the fifth row 4632 a of rollers that may comprise a thirdzone 4640 c of conveyor rollers. In some embodiments, the third motor4720 c may cause items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) to be moved at athird speed, such as at about 276 feet per minute. A fourth motor 4720 dmay drive a belt 4730 d that may contact and drive both the first row4630 a of rollers and the sixth row 4632 b of rollers that may comprisea fourth zone 4640 d of conveyor rollers. In some embodiments, thefourth motor 4720 d may cause items to be moved at a fourth speed ofabout 556 feet per minute. The fifth motor 4720 e may drive a belt 4730e which can contact and drive the fourth row 4630 d of rollers and theseventh row 4632 c of rollers that may comprise the fifth zone 4640 e ofconveyor rollers. In some embodiments, the fifth motor 4720 e may causeitems to be moved at a fifth speed of about 556 feet per minute. Thesixth motor 4720 f may drive a belt 4730 f and the eighth row 4632 d ofrollers that define the sixth zone 4640 f of conveyor rollers. In someembodiments, the sixth motor 4720 f may cause items to be moved at asixth speed of about 276 feet per minute.

The differences in velocities between the second row 4630 b of rollershaving a velocity of 185 feet per second and the third row 4630 c havinga velocity of 466 feet per second means that items (e.g., cartons)traveling on top of the third row 4630 c of rollers (i.e., within thesecond zone 4640 b) may pull ahead of items moving in the first zone4640 a on the second row 4630 b of rollers moving at 185 feet persecond. Additionally, the differences in speeds between the first zone4640 a and second zone 4640 b may induce initial side-to-side turning initems that move across the center line 4620.

As the fifth zone 4640 e and the fourth zone 4640 d may be configured tomove at the fastest velocity (e.g., about 566 feet per minute) and canspeed up the slower moving items (e.g., cartons) incoming from the firstand second zones 4640 a, 4640 b, these zones 4640 d, 4640 e may becapable of pulling gaps between incoming items, and may rotaterectangular items to lead with the narrow face.

The third zone 4640 c and sixth zone 4640 f may discharge items (e.g.,boxes, cartons) from the conveyor system, and may be short sectionsoperating at a slower speed to induce items to turn toward the centerline 4620. Both the third zone 4640 c and sixth zone 4640 f may move atthe same speed of about 278 feet per minute and receive items moving atabout 566 feet per minute which promotes turning.

FIGS. 48A-48D illustrate exemplary roller speeds for various motorsassociated with zones of embodiment herringbone-type centraldescramblers 4800, 4850 utilizing variable speed electric motors todrive belts. In some embodiments, each zone of the embodimentherringbone-type central descramblers 4800, 4850 may have an independentside-mounted variable frequency drive (VFD)-driven hollow shaft mountedreducers sized for a base speed of 500 feet per minute (FPM). Suchsizing may allow for a common design, easily replaceable parts, andsignificant future speed variations. In some embodiments, each motor ofthe herringbone-type central descramblers 4800, 4850 may be associatedwith an individual VFD capable of reversing direction and varying speedof belts associated with the motors. In some embodiments, the motors maybe configured to run in forward or reverse directions. In someembodiments, the herringbone-type central descramblers 4800, 4850 may beset with (low) outside flanges back to back as verti-belt flanges are atroller height.

In some embodiments, electric motors of the herringbone-type centraldescramblers 4800, 4850 may be configured to run at different levels,such as indicated by ‘hz’ (hertz) in FIGS. 48A-48B. Different levels maycause the respective belts to run at different speeds, and thus theitems on top of the rollers associated with the belts to move along theherringbone-type central descramblers 4800, 4850 at different speeds.Further, motors on one side (left-hand side (LHS) or right-hand side(RHS) may be configured to run at higher levels than the other side inorder to induce initial side-by-side turning of items being moved on thebelts of the herringbone-type central descramblers 4800, 4850. DifferentLHS and RHS speeds of belts may induce initial side-by-side turning ofitems.

In some embodiments, and as shown in FIGS. 48A-48B, the embodimentherringbone-type central descrambler 4800 may be comprised of three ormore zones (or sections), such as three sections within a 54 inch(width)×123 inch (length) unibody frame. In particular, the embodimentherringbone-type central descrambler 4800 may utilize a short “infeed”(or front) section 4830 that utilizes different speeds on the LHS andRHS. For example, a RHS motor may be configured to cause a 466 FPM outof 500 FPM (or approximately 93.2% of a base FPM) based on 57 hz, and aLHS motor may be configured to cause a 185 FPM out of 500 FPM (orapproximately 37% of a base FPM) based on 22 hz. Further, theherringbone-type central descrambler 4800 may utilize a long belt secondsection 4831 that occurs after the short infeed section 4830 in order tocause significant speed-up in order to pull gaps needed for narrow faceleading. For example, both RHS and LHS motors in the second section 4831may be configured to cause a 556 FPM out of 500 FPM (or approximately111% of a base FPM) based on 67 hz. Further, the herringbone-typecentral descrambler 4800 may include a final discharge section 4832 thatoperates at slower speeds and that occurs after the long belt secondsections 4831 in order to induce turning of items toward the center ofthe herringbone-type central descrambler 4800. For example, both RHS andLHS motors in the discharge section 4832 may be configured to cause a278 FPM out of 500 FPM (or approximately 55.6% of a base FPM) based on33 hz.

The following is an illustration of exemplary different speeds for LHSand RHS belts of the embodiment herringbone-type central descrambler4800 as shown in FIG. 48A. A first RHS motor may run at 50 hz in andmove its associated belt 4802 a at 626 FPM, a second RHS motor may runat 50 hz and move its associated belt 4802 b at 466 FPM, a third RHSmotor may run at 90 hz and move its associated belt 4802 c at 556 FPM,and a fourth RHS motor may run at 90 hz and move its associated belt4802 d at 278 FPM. A first LHS motor may run at 20 hz and move itsassociated belt 4804 a at 250 FPM, a second LHS motor may run at 20 hzand move its associated belt 4804 b at 185 FPM, a third LHS motor mayrun at 90 hz and move its associated belt 4804 c at 556 FPM, and afourth LHS motor may run at 90 hz and move its associated belt 4804 d at278 FPM.

The following is another illustration of exemplary different speeds forLHS and RHS belts of the embodiment herringbone-type central descrambler4800 as shown in FIG. 48B. A second RHS motor may run at 60 hz and moveits associated belt 4802 b at 500 FPM or the second RHS motor may run at50 hz and move its associated belt 4802 b at 466 FPM, a third RHS motormay run at 60 hz and move its associated belt 4802 c at 500 FPM or thethird RHS motor may run at 67 hz and move its associated belt 4802 c at556 FPM, and a fourth RHS motor may run at 60 hz and move its associatedbelt 4802 d at 500 FPM or the fourth RHS motor may run at 33 hz and moveits associated belt 4802 d at 278 FPM. A second LHS motor may run at 60hz and move its associated belt 4804 b at 500 FPM or the second LHSmotor may run at 20 hz and move its associated belt 4804 b at 185 FPM, athird LHS motor may run at 60 hz and move its associated belt 4804 c at500 FPM or the third LHS motor may run at 67 hz and move its associatedbelt 4804 c at 556 FPM, and a fourth LHS motor may run at 60 hz and moveits associated belt 4804 d at 500 FPM or the fourth LHS motor may run at33 hz and move its associated belt 4804 d at 278 FPM.

FIGS. 48C-48D illustrate simplified schematic drawings of the embodimentherringbone-type central descrambler 4850 (i.e., the drawings aresimplified by not depicting roller and motor covers). Theherringbone-type central descrambler 4850 shown in FIGS. 48C-48D may becomprised of two standard 28 inch (width)×15 foot (length)mini-unscramblers or sections. In particular, the embodimentherringbone-type central descrambler 4850 may utilize a first section4870 and a second section 4872 that occurs after the first section 4870.

The following is an illustration of exemplary different speeds for LHSand RHS belts of the embodiment herringbone-type central descrambler4850 as shown in FIG. 48C. A first RHS motor may run at 50 hz and moveits associated belt 4852 a at 466 FPM, a second RHS motor may run at 90hz and move its associated belt 4852 b at 556 FPM, and a third RHS motormay run at 90 hz and move its associated belt 4852 c at 278 FPM. A firstLHS motor may run at 20 hz and move its associated belt 4854 a at 185FPM, a second LHS motor may run at 90 hz and move its associated belt4854 b at 556 FPM, and a third LHS motor may run at 90 hz and move itsassociated belt 4854 c at 278 FPM.

The following is another illustration of different speeds for LHS andRHS belts of the embodiment herringbone-type central descrambler 4850 asshown in FIG. 48D. A first RHS motor may run at 60 hz and move itsassociated belt 4852 a at 500 FPM or the first RHS motor may run at 50hz and move its associated belt 4852 a at 466 FPM, a second RHS motormay run at 60 hz and move its associated belt 4852 b at 500 FPM or thesecond RHS motor may run at 67 hz and move its associated belt 4852 b at556 FPM, and a third RHS motor may run at 60 hz and move its associatedbelt 4852 c at 500 FPM or the third RHS motor may run at 33 hz and moveits associated belt 4852 c at 278 FPM. A first LHS motor may run at 60hz and move its associated belt 4854 a at 500 FPM or the first LHS motormay run at 20 hz and move its associated belt 4854 a at 185 FPM, asecond LHS motor may run at 60 hz and move its associated belt 4854 b at500 FPM or the second LHS motor may run at 67 hz and move its associatedbelt 4854 b at 556 FPM, and a third LHS motor may run at 60 hz and moveits associated belt 4854 c at 500 FPM or the third LHS motor may run at33 hz and move its associated belt 4854 c at 278 FPM.

In some embodiments, the various rows of rollers of a herringbone-typecentral descrambler of a robotic carton unloader's conveyor system mayinclude rollers that are angled (or sloped inward) so that theirhorizontal axes are not parallel with the floor of an unloading area(e.g., the floor of a truck trailer). Such angled rollers may promotethe movement of items (e.g., cartons) toward the center of the conveyorsystem, thus improving descrambling efforts. FIG. 49 illustrates angledrollers 4902 a, 4902 b of an embodiment herringbone-type centraldescrambler 4900. As described above, the rollers 4902 a, 4902 b may bejoined in the center at a center line 4920 that bisects theherringbone-type central descrambler 4900 lengthwise. The rollers 4902a, 4902 b may be angled so that their axes are not parallel with aground plane 4930. For example, the first roller 4902 a may be angled onan axis 4912 that is rotated a number of degrees (shown as angle ‘a’4914) from another axis 4910 parallel with the ground plane 4930. Due tothe angled configuration, the rollers 4902 a, 4902 b may have an outerheight (i.e., a height near the outer edge 4917 of the herringbone-typecentral descrambler 4900) that is greater than their inner height (i.e.,height at the center line 4920 of the herringbone-type centraldescrambler 4900). Such a height difference is illustrated with thedistance 4916 (‘h’ in FIG. 49), indicating that the outer height of thefirst roller 4902 a is greater than the inner height of the first roller4902 a. In some embodiments, such a height difference may beapproximately ¾ of an inch. In some embodiments, items (e.g., cartons,boxes) may spin (or pinwheel) more when rollers of the herringbone-typecentral descrambler 4900 are not sloped (i.e., the rollers are flat).

FIGS. 50A-59D address embodiment front-end descramblers of roboticcarton unloaders. As described above, in various embodiments, a roboticcarton unloader may include front-end descrambler components that may beused to move items (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.) towards the center ofthe conveyer system (e.g., to a herringbone-type central conveyer) ofthe robotic carton unloader for further processing, such as singulationand descrambling. Such front-end descramblers may also be configured tocause items to be moved, descrambled, and singulated. For example, whena series of boxes are placed on a front-end descrambler, the movement ofthe rollers and/or belts of the front-end descrambler may cause a widespread of the boxes to be narrowed or moved toward the middle rows ofthe front-end descrambler (i.e., descrambling), as well as causeseparations or gaps to be placed in between the boxes (i.e.,singulation).

In various embodiments, the front-end descramblers may utilize differentspeeds (or singulator speeds) for each of its different rows. Forexample, center rows may be moved at high speeds to pull center items(e.g., boxes, cartons) to the front of the pack to make room for itemsmoving up the outer rows (or wings) and onto the center rows. In thisway, a line of items (e.g., boxes) may move from front to rear of thefront-end descrambler in an alignment resembling a ‘V’ formation offlying birds.

In various embodiments, an embodiment front-end descrambler may includelight-weight plastic belts positioned on the front-end descrambler on aplurality of parallel rows (e.g., five rows) that are configured todrive items placed on top of them to move toward the center of theconveyor system of a robotic carton unloader.

In some embodiments, the front-end descrambler may be configured withadjustable outer rows (or wings) that may be rotated (or folded) up ordown at various angles about pivots. For example, the outer-most rows ofthe front-end descrambler may be folded up into a “U” shape. Suchrotations of the outer rows (or wings) may enable better or moreconvenient placement of the front-end loader in installation sites ofvarious widths and characteristics (e.g., different width trucktrailers). Further, such rotations of the outer rows or wings may allowthe outer rows to be rotated into a close positioning (e.g., touching)of side walls of truck trailers, enabling the outer rows to act asshields that may catch and then move falling items (e.g., boxes,cartons, etc.).

In some embodiments, the outer rows (or wings) of embodiment front-enddescramblers may each include a section of belting that is followed by aportion of plastic sheeting with rollers mounted therein. Such rollerswithin the plastic sheeting may be held at an angle configured to guideitems (e.g., cartons) towards the center rows or belts of the front-enddescrambler (e.g., the center three of five rows). Further, such rollersmay be powered by rollers mounted beneath the plastic sheeting thatrotate on a front-to-rear axis parallel to the angled surface.

FIGS. 50A-50B illustrate a robotic carton unloader 5000 in variousoperations for retrieving items 5012 (e.g., boxes) from a loading area(e.g., from a wall of boxes 5011 within a truck trailer 5050, etc.). Asdescribed above, the robotic carton unloader 5000 may include a vehicleor mobile body 5020, a robotic arm 5010 (or robotic carton retrievalarm), and a conveyor system 5075. Further, the conveyor system 5075 mayinclude a front-end descrambler 5036 connected to a central descrambler5041 (or herringbone-type central descrambler) that includes a centerconveyer 5039 and a rear conveyor 5040. In various embodiments, thefront-end descrambler 5036 may include a plurality of parallel rows ofbelts or sets of rollers configured to cause items 5012 to be movedtoward the center conveyer 5039. For example, the front-end descrambler5036 may include five rows of driven light-weight plastic belts. In someembodiments, the outer-most rows of the front-end descrambler 5036 maybe configured to rotate as described below, or alternatively may befixed.

The front-end descrambler 5036 and/or the central descrambler 5041 mayutilize or operate as mini-descramblers (or mini-unscramblers) toreceive a bulk mass of items 5012 (e.g., boxes) thereon and separate andsingulate the items 5012 as they move front-to-rear along the conveyorsystem 5075. As shown, the center conveyer 5039 and rear conveyor 5040may comprise two or more sections of side-by-side roller conveyors thatform mini-descramblers (or mini-unscramblers). FIG. 50B shows therobotic arm 5010 (or carton retrieval arm) of the robotic cartonunloader 5000 releasing an item 5012 (e.g., a box or carton) onto thefront-end descrambler 5036 of the conveyor system 5075.

FIGS. 51-53 illustrate various views of an embodiment front-enddescrambler 5100 of a conveyor system of a robotic carton unloader 5102,the front-end descrambler 5100 having outer rows (or wings 5110 a, 5110b) capable of being placed (or folded) in various angles. As shown inFIG. 51, the front-end descrambler 5100 may comprise a middle portion5134, a left wing 5110 a, and a right wing 5110 b. The wings 5110 a,5110 b may be pivotally attached to the middle portion 5134. Inparticular, the left wing 5110 a may individually rotate on a first axis5101 a parallel to inner rows 5135 a-5135 c, and the right wing 5110 bmay individually rotate on a second axis 5101 b parallel to the innerrows 5135 a-5135 c. Such pivot attachments may enable the wings 5110 a,5110 b to be rotated in various angles, such as shown in FIG. 51 as anangle a (e.g., 10 degrees, 15 degrees, 45 degrees, etc.). In someembodiments, the individual wings 5110 a, 5110 b may be rotated indifferent angles from each other.

In FIG. 51 and FIG. 52, the left wing 5110 a and right wing 5110 b areshown pivoted up (or rotated up) relative to the middle portion 5134 sothat the front-end descrambler 5100 of the robotic carton unloader 5102has a “u” shape and a narrower cross width. In other words, when pivotedup, the front-end descrambler 5100 may be narrower, enabling the roboticcarton unloader 5102 to pull into more narrow unloading areas (e.g., atruck trailer 5220, etc.) in order to unload items 5122 (e.g., boxes,cartons, etc.).

The middle potion 5134 may be comprised of a plurality of rows ofrollers or conveyor belts configured to move items in a directiontowards the central descrambler of the conveyor system of the roboticcarton unloader 5102. For example, the middle portion 5134 may includethree inner rows 5135 a, 5135 b, 5135 c of parallel belts. Additionally,each wing 5110 a, 5110 b may include individual rows of rollers orconveyor belts. For example, as shown in FIG. 51, the right wing 5110 bmay include a belt 5112 and the left wing 5110 a may include a belt,each capable of moving items toward the center of the conveyor system ofthe robotic carton unloader 5102. In some embodiments, the wings 5110 a,5110 b may include sections of wheeled belting that may be attached tothe wings 5110 a, 5110 b downstream from their associated belts. Forexample, a section of wheeled belting may be downstream from the belt ofthe left wing 5110 a, and another section of wheeled belting 5114 may bedownstream from the belt 5112 of the right wing 5110 b. The wheels inthe sections of wheeled belting, such as belting 5114, may be driven byrollers mounted beneath the left and right belts. For example, rollers5116 to drive the belt of the left wing 5110 a may be mounted underneaththe left wing 5110 a. Wheeled belting, such as 5114, may include wheelsmounted therein that are oriented to drive items (e.g., cartons, boxes,etc.) placed thereon towards the middle portion 5134. In someembodiments, such wheeled belting, such as 5114, may be Intraloxbelting.

FIG. 53 illustrates the front-end descrambler 5100 with a plurality ofrows oriented on a common plane. In other words, the wings 5110 a, 5110b may be rotated down (or not rotated up from a default position) suchthat they are on the same plane as the middle portion 5134. Such a casemay occur when the robotic carton unloader 5102 has driven into positionin a truck trailer 5220 and the left wing 5110 a and right wing 5110 bare folded down to a wide position. The wide position may cause the leftwing 5110 a and/or the right wing 5110 b to touch a side wall(s) of thetruck trailer 5220. This may be beneficial as, when the left wing 5110 aand right wing 5110 b are folded down, they may create a large item(e.g., carton, box, etc.) catch area for an unloading process.

FIGS. 54A-54C show side views of a front-end descrambler 5400 of arobotic carton unloader having wings 5410 a, 5410 b in various states ofrotation (or folding) around pivots. FIG. 54A shows the wings 5410 a,5410 b in a non-rotated (or unfolded) state such that the wings 5410 a,5410 b share a common plane 5420. Further, the common plane 5420 may beparallel with another plane 5422 associated with a middle portion 5412.In other words, the surfaces of the wings 5410 a, 5410 b and the rows ofthe middle portion 5412 may be parallel with one another.

In various embodiments, the wings 5410 a, 5410 b may be attached tovarious units 5414 a, 5414 b (e.g., hydraulic cylinders, etc.)configured to cause the wings 5410 a, 5410 b to rotate up or down onpivots 5416 a, 5416 b, respectively. FIG. 54B shows such a rotation ofthe right wing 5410 b. For example, the unit 5414 b may extend a piston,rod, or other included cylinder 5430 b, causing both the unit 5414 b andthe right wing 5410 b to rotate upward about the pivot 5416 b. Such arotation is shown in FIG. 54B as angle a. FIG. 54C shows such anadditional rotation of the left wing 5410 a. For example, the unit 5414a for the left wing 5410 a may extend a piston or other includedcylinder 5430 a, causing both the unit 5414 a and the left wing 5410 ato rotate upward about the pivot 5416 a. Such a rotation is shown inFIG. 54C as angle a′ which may or may not be equal to angle a for theright wing 5410 b as shown in FIG. B.

FIGS. 55A-55C illustrate an embodiment front-end descrambler 5520 of aconveyor system 5510 of a robotic carton unloader used within differenttruck trailers 5502, 5532, 5552 of various widths. As described above,the wings (or outer rows/sides) of the front-end descrambler 5520 may berotated (or folded) up or down, such as in response to an extension (orretraction) of a hydraulic cylinder. Such folding may enable thefront-end descrambler 5520 to enter spaces of various widths, allowingthe robotic carton unloader to be useful in multiple unloading areas,such as by being capable of moving inside of differently-sizedsemi-trailers. FIG. 55A illustrates the front-end descrambler 5520 in aflattened (or unfolded) state within a wide truck trailer 5502 (e.g., atrailer having a cross width greater than an average truck trailer usedfor shipping cargo/items, etc.). FIG. 55B illustrates the front-enddescrambler 5520 in a partially folded state within an average ornormal-width truck trailer 5532 (e.g., a trailer having an average orstandard cross width used for shipping cargo/items, etc.). FIG. 55Cillustrates the front-end descrambler 5520 in a fully folded statewithin a narrow truck trailer 5552 (e.g., a trailer having a cross widthsmaller than an average truck trailer used for shipping cargo/items,etc.).

In various embodiments, robotic carton unloaders may utilize aconnection or connector element to join or otherwise connect front-enddescramblers with central descramblers (e.g., herringbone-type centraldescramblers) of conveyor systems. Such connections may be physicalsections that not only provide a surface in between rollers (or conveyorbelts) of the front-end descramblers and the central descramblers, butmay also include moving elements to move items (e.g., cartons, boxes,etc.). In particular, a connection may be a system that includes a flatplastic sheet with a series of holes punched into it, wherein each holemay have a roller positioned at 45 degree angle directed inwards, suchas inwards towards the rollers of a central descrambler. The rollerswithin the holes may be driven, such as via a series of other rollers.In this way, the connection may be capable of propelling items (e.g.,boxes) in a forward direction as well as in an inward direction. In someembodiments, the connection may be an Intralox system. FIG. 56 shows afront-end descrambler 5602 of a robotic carton unloader 5600 configuredwith such a connection 5610 between a five-row front-end descrambler5602 and a herringbone-type central descrambler 5604.

FIGS. 57A-57B illustrate an embodiment robotic carton unloader 5700configured with components to lift (or lower) a front-end descrambler5702 at different angles. In various embodiments, the robotic cartonunloader 5700 may include a device 5710, such as a hydraulic cylinderdevice, a pneumatic device, fluidics, and/or an electric screw actuator,that may be capable of moving the front-end descrambler 5702 such thatit rotates up or down on a pivot or hinge 5720. Such movements of thefront-end descrambler 5702 may be used to assist in loading items from atruck trailer, such as by lifting up the front-end descrambler 5702 toreceive boxes from the top of a wall of boxes or lowering down thefront-end descrambler 5702 to assist in catch boxes that fall or arepulled from the wall of boxes.

In various embodiments, the device 5710 may be mounted to the mobilebody 5701 at a low point at the front. The device 5710 may also be aimedin an upward direction such that when the device 5710 is extended orotherwise engaged (e.g., a piston or rod is pushed upward out of thebody of the device 5710), the front-end descrambler 5702 may be rotated(or otherwise moved) upwards. Similarly, the top of the device 5710 (orcylinder) may pivot out to a horizontal position when not engaged (e.g.,with the piston or rod compressed down).

FIG. 57A illustrates the robotic carton unloader 5700 having thefront-end descrambler 5702 lower to a first position such that it makesphysical contact with a surface 5706, such as a truck trailer floor. Forexample, the device 5710 may be in a default extension or arrangementsuch that the front-end descrambler 5702 is at a default position thatrests on the surface 5706. FIG. 57B illustrates the robotic cartonunloader 5700 having the front-end descrambler 5702 raised to a secondposition such that it no longer makes physical contact with the surface5706. For example, the device 5710 may be in an extended state (e.g., apiston is extended from the body of the device 5710) or arrangement suchthat the front-end descrambler 5702 is at the raised second position.Such a raised second position may be useful when the robotic cartonunloader 5700 is moved into a truck trailer, as the raised position maydecrease the potential for the front-end descrambler to scrape orotherwise interact with the surface 5706. In various embodiments, thefront-end descrambler 5702 may be limited in its allowed amount ofrotation or other movement. For example, the device 5710 may beconfigured to only permit the front-end descrambler 5702 to be raised orlowered such that items on the front-end descrambler may not tumble(e.g., an 18 degree maximum rotation from a level setting).

FIG. 58 illustrates items 5820 a-5820 f (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.)being conveyed via a front-end descrambler 5808 of a robotic cartonunloader 5800 in accordance with various embodiments. As describedabove, the front-end descrambler 5808 may be comprised of a plurality ofrows configured to propel items towards the robotic carton unloader(i.e., towards a herringbone-type central descrambler 5804 at the centerof the conveyor system of the robotic loader). For example, thefront-end descrambler 5808 may include five rows that may each utilizean individual conveyor belt or a set of rollers to drive boxes toward aconnection 5806 between the front-end descrambler 5808 and anotherdescrambler element (e.g., a herringbone-type central descrambler 5804,etc.) of the robotic carton unloader 5800.

Further, the rate at which the different rows of the front-enddescrambler 5808 drive items may vary. In particular, the outer-mostrows may be configured to drive items towards the herringbone-typecentral descrambler 5804 at a first speed or rate, the middle rows maydrive items towards the herringbone-type central descrambler 5804 at asecond speed or rate, and the inner-most row(s) or center row(s) maydrive items towards the herringbone-type central descrambler 5804 at athird speed or rate. For example, the outer-most rows may move items ata slow speed, the middle rows may move items at a medium speed, and theinner-most (or center) row(s) may move items at a fast speed. In thisway, items placed on the front-end descrambler 5808 may arrive at thenext section of the of the robotic carton unloader's conveyor system(e.g., the herringbone-type central descrambler 5804), at differenttimes, avoiding jams or blockages of items placed on the front-enddescrambler 5808 at the same or similar time.

FIGS. 59A-59D illustrate how items 5920-5928 may be moved over time andat different rates based on their placement on the various rows5902-5910 of the front-end descrambler 5900. The first row 5902 andfifth row 5910 (i.e., the outer-most rows) may be configured to moveitems at a first, slow rate or speed. The second row 5904 and fourth row5908 (i.e., the middle rows) may be configured to move items at asecond, medium rate or speed. The third row 5906 (i.e., the center row)may be configured to move items at a third, fast rate or speed. FIG. 59Ashows the items 5920-5928 placed at the beginning of each of the rows5902-5910. FIG. 59B shows the advancement of the items 5920-5928 on therows 5902-5910 after a first period of time. In particular, the firstitem 5920 and fifth item 5928 have moved a first distance (representedas distance ‘a’ in FIG. 59B) based on the first speed of the first row5902 and fifth row 5910, respectively. The second item 5922 and thefourth item 5926 have moved a second distance (represented as distance‘b’ in FIG. 59B) based on the second speed of the second row 5904 andfourth row 5908, respectively. The third item 5924 has moved a thirddistance (represented as distance ‘c’ in FIG. 59B) based on the thirdspeed of the third row 5906. The first distance (a) may be consideredthe shortest as the speed of the first row 5902 and fifth row 5910 maybe a low (or slow) speed, and the third distance (c) may be consideredthe longest, as the speed of the third row 5906 is a high (or fast)speed. The second distance (b) may be between the first and thirddistances (a, c) as the speed of the second row 5904 and fourth row 5908may only be a medium speed.

As shown in FIG. 59C, after a second period of time (e.g., similar tothe first period of time), the first item 5920 and fifth item 5928 haveagain moved the first distance (represented as distance ‘a’ in FIG. 59C)based on the first speed of the first row 5902 and fifth row 5910,respectively, and the second item 5922 and the fourth item 5926 haveagain moved the second distance (represented as distance ‘b’ in FIG.59C) based on the second speed of the second row 5904 and fourth row5908, respectively. The third item 5924 is no longer shown, as it hasmoved past a connection 5932 and off the front-end descrambler 5900 dueto the speed of the third row 5906.

The first item 5920 and fifth item 5928 may come into contact withguides 5930 a, 5930 b, respectively. As described above, the guides 5930a, 5930 b may be pieces of material (e.g., wood, metal, plastic, etc.)that are placed at an angle to cause items moving along the various rowsto be directed towards the center of the front-end descrambler 5900. Inother words, the first guide 5930 a may be angled and positioned on thefront-end descrambler 5900 such that the first item 5920 may be guidedfrom the first row 5902 towards the second row 5904, and likewise, thesecond guide 5930 b may be angled and positioned such that the fifthitem 5928 may be guided from the fifth row 5910 to the fourth row 5908.As items moving along in the inner rows 5904-5908 are being moved atfaster speeds than the outer rows 5902, 5910, items directed to theinner rows 5904-5908 by the guides 5930 a, 5930 b may not be as likelyto collide with items already moving in those rows 5904-5908.

Accordingly and as shown in FIG. 59D, after a third period of time, thefirst item 5920 may be located on the second row 5904 due to contactwith the first guide 5930 a, and the fifth item 5928 may be located onthe fourth row 5908 due to contact with the second guide 5930 b. Thefirst item 5920 and fifth item 5928 may now be moving at the secondspeed associated with the second and fourth rows 5904, 5908. The seconditem 5922 and fourth item 5926 are no longer shown, as they have alreadymoved past the connection 5932 and off the front-end descrambler 5900due to the speed of the second row 5904 and fourth row 5908.

In some scenarios, cartons (e.g., articles, items, boxes, etc.) withinan unloading area may have particular unloading and/or other movementrequirements. For example, due to specifications of a manufacturer,retail store, etc. and/or the fragility of items, a robotic cartonunloader may not be able to drop boxes from a truck more than a smalldistance from a pile onto a conveyor system (e.g., approximately 18inches, less than 18 inches, etc.). When unloading cartons from greatheights within an unloading area like a tractor trailer, this may be asubstantial problem, as there may be a drop distance of several feetfrom the top of an article pile (or carton wall) to the floor of theunloading area or even the surface of conveyors of a robotic cartonunloader.

Various embodiment robotic carton unloaders may include front-endcomponents (or front portions), such as a movable shelf and conveyorsection (generally referred to herein as a “front-end shelf conveyor”)configured to resolve such issues (e.g., by ensuring cartons fall only asmall distance, such as approximately 18 inches or less). In particular,a front-end shelf conveyor may be coupled to a robotic carton unloader(e.g., robotic carton unloader 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, robotic cartonunloader 3500 illustrated in FIG. 35A, etc.), such as being movablyattached to the mobile body (or chassis) of the robotic carton unloader.The front-end shelf conveyor may include at least one or more conveyorsthat are driven via one or more motors such that cartons placed thereonmay be moved in a directed manner (e.g., backwards towards the center ofthe robotic carton unloader). The front-end shelf conveyor may be raisedand lowered to various heights and pitches in order to provide a surfacefor better receiving items to be conveyed away from an unloaded area.For example, from a default position (e.g., resting with an end on afloor), the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved to at least a raisedposition to receive cartons thereon, and may be moved to a loweredposition to deposit cartons onto a second conveyor (e.g., conveyor 142,a central descrambler 3558 illustrated in FIG. 35A, etc.) attached tothe robotic carton unloader.

As described herein, front portions (e.g., front portion 136 billustrated in FIGS. 1-4, front-end descramblers, front-end shelfconveyors, etc.) of the robotic carton unloader may be connected to andmoved via various components that are connected to the mobile body ofthe robotic carton unloader (e.g., a lift 151 connected to the chassis121 to lift the front portion 136 b of conveyor system 135). Similarly,in some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be coupled to asupport mechanism that is configured to move the front-end shelfconveyor in various directions. For example, via scissor lift componentsand/or actuators, the support mechanism may cause the front-end shelfconveyor to move up and down in order to provide a surface that is notonly near items being removed from various heights within an unloadingarea, but also parallel (or near parallel) to the unloading area'sfloor. In various embodiments, motors, belts, and other elementsconfigured to provide various functionalities of the front-end shelfconveyor may be moved with the front-end shelf conveyor via the supportmechanism. For example, motors, pulleys, belts, screws, etc. of thesupport mechanism may be used to raise both conveyors and correspondingmotors of the front-end shelf conveyor.

In various embodiments, devices, including the support mechanism, may beaffixed to the chassis of the robotic carton unloader and connected tothe front-end shelf conveyor to lift the front-end shelf conveyor off ofa floor to various heights and/or angular positions. For example, via anactuator, such as a hydraulic cylinder, the front-end shelf conveyor maybe raised so that its rows of belts or rollers are parallel but abovewith a central descrambler. With respect to devices for lifting thefront-end shelf conveyor, other embodiments of these devices (e.g.,actuators) are not limited to electrical actuators, but may be fluidicactuators operable with compressible or incompressible fluids such asair and oil, mechanical actuators, or any other type actuator.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be included withinor otherwise be an extension of a conveyor system of the robotic cartonunloader as described herein (e.g., conveyor system 6435 of FIG. 1,conveyor system 3550 illustrated in FIG. 35A, etc.). In such cases, thefront-end shelf conveyor may replace and/or supplement other front-endelements (or front portions) of a conveyor system. For example, thefront-end shelf conveyor may be used in place of a front-end descrambler(e.g., front-end descrambler 3556 illustrated in FIG. 35A). In someembodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may include thefunctionalities of a front-end descrambler described herein, such as oneor more belts configured to cause cartons thereon to be descrambled andmoved toward the back and center of the front-end shelf conveyor.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may include aplurality of parallel rows of powered rollers or belts. For example, thefront-end shelf conveyor may have five parallel rows as well as guidesfor guiding items from outer rows to inner rows. Such rows may run atdifferent speeds to singulate and unscramble items placed thereon. Forexample, the center row may run fastest to rapidly draw cartons out ofthe front-end shelf conveyor first, the middle rows may run slower thanthe center row and the outer rows may run slower than both the centerrow and the middle rows.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be capable ofmoving side-to-side. For example, front-end shelf conveyor may beconfigured to move laterally relative to a central descrambler of therobotic carton unloader.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be included withina carton guide system as described herein (e.g., carton guide system 175illustrated in FIG. 1, etc.). For example, the front-end shelf conveyormay be included within or otherwise replace the shelf 176 of the cartonguide system 175.

The front-end shelf conveyor may be controlled via a control andvisualization system as described herein. For example, a control andvisualization system that includes various visualization sensors (e.g.,cameras, Lidar, radar, etc.), operator interfaces (e.g., joysticks,displays, keypads, etc.), and processors, and may be capable ofcontrolling and automating the unloading process, such as by causing thesupport mechanism to move the front-end shelf conveyor up to receiveboxes, controlling motors moving with the front-end shelf conveyor tomove the boxes backwards, causing a stop bar to raise and lower to allowboxes to move off of the front-end shelf conveyor and onto a centralconveyor (e.g., a herringbone-type central conveyor).

In various embodiments, the front-end conveyor may be moved separatelyfrom a robotic arm as described herein (e.g., robotic arm 3530illustrated in FIG. 35A). For example, when retrieving (or “picking”)items from an unloading area, the robotic arm may be moved in a firstmanner (e.g., forward) and the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved insecond manner (e.g., upward). In particular, when in a lowered (ordefault) position (e.g., resting on the floor of the unloading area),the front-end shelf conveyor may be angled such that a front tip (orfront-most end) is tipped down resting on the floor and the back end ofthe front-end shelf conveyor is at the same height as the rest of theconveyor system of the robotic carton unloader. During pickingoperations by the robotic arm (e.g., pulling boxes above and parallel tothe rear conveyors of the conveyor system of the robotic cartonunloader), the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved upwards to a raisedposition to meet the robotic arm. When in the raised position (e.g., notresting on the floor of the loading area), the front-end shelf conveyormay be configured to have a horizontal placement such that the front-endshelf conveyor provides a surface that is parallel to the floor of theunloading area upon which cartons may be pulled by the robotic arm. Thefront-end shelf conveyor may also be angled when in the raised position,such as to improve robotic arm maneuverability (e.g., the tip or “nose”of the front-end shelf conveyor may be tipped down). In someembodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be tipped up or down basedon the level of the items being picked by the robotic arm (and amanipulator). For example, when raised for boxes that are above themobile body of the robotic carton unloader, the front-end shelf conveyormay be horizontally positioned below the robotic arm. However, whenmoved for to provide a conveyor for boxes that are below the mobile bodyof the robotic carton unloader, the front-end shelf conveyor may betipped down. Alternately, when picking cartons from a top of the cartonpile, the front end conveyor may have a nose thereof tipped up toprovide clearance for portions of the robot arm.

In some embodiments, the pitch and/or the speed(s) of the conveyors onthe front-end shelf conveyor may be configured to enable items placed onthe surface of the front-end shelf conveyor to avoid contact with therobotic arm. For example, the one or more belts on the front-end shelfconveyor may be driven by attached motors at such a speed that boxesdropped onto the belts may move fast enough to miss being hit by therobotic arm repositioning for subsequent picks.

In some embodiments, cartons placed on the front-end shelf conveyor maybe tracked by the robotic carton loader using various imaging techniquesas described herein. For example, the robotic carton unloader, via acomputing device and various sensors (e.g., light, radar, Lidar, rangingunit, camera, etc.), may track cartons moving along one or more conveyorbelts on the front-end shelf conveyor.

The following is a general illustration of a use of the front-end shelfconveyor. A robotic carton unloader may be placed within a truck,trailer, or other area and may be configured to remove a plurality ofcartons from a floor of the truck or from a top row of a carton pile,carton wall, etc. The robotic carton unloader may include variouscomponents and/or equipment as described herein, including a mobile bodythat rolls on wheels and that may be sized and configured to bepositioned within semi-trailers (e.g., driven in and out of), a roboticarm movably coupled to the mobile body and configured for extending intoand retracting out of the unloading area for pulling items (e.g.,cartons, boxes, etc.), and a conveyor system that is configured toconvey cartons deposited thereon. A front-end shelf conveyor consistingof a surface and one or more conveyors may be movably coupled to themobile body. The front-end shelf conveyor may be moved in variousdirections by a support mechanism (e.g., pneumatic tubes, scissor lifts,etc.). In particular, a support mechanism may be configured to move thefront-end shelf conveyor up and down, such as to a first positionadjacent to a manipulator to receive the plurality of cartons removedtherewith and to a second position adjacent to the rear portion of theconveyor system. At a given time, the robotic arm may move a manipulator(e.g., claws, vacuum heads, etc.) to a top level of a wall of cartons.Concurrently, the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved via the supportmechanism upwards along with the robotic arm manipulator. The surface(and thus conveyors) of the front-end shelf conveyor may or may not bepitched to be parallel with the manipulator of the robotic arm. In someembodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be positioned such that afront end of the front-end shelf conveyor contacts the wall of cartonsbelow those cartons being removed, thereby supporting the carton wallduring removal. The manipulator may pull one or more items from the wallof cartons, dropping the pulled item(s) onto the surface of thefront-end shelf conveyor. The support mechanism may then cause thefront-end shelf conveyor to be moved down such that the surface of thefront-end shelf conveyor becomes parallel with conveyors (e.g.,herringbone-type conveyors) of the conveyor system that run underneaththe robotic arm towards a rear area. The conveyors of the front-endshelf conveyor may move the pulled item(s) backwards onto the conveyorsof the conveyor system, which in turn may move the item(s) to the reararea. The item(s) may or may not be descrambled via the conveyor systemand may be moved for placement in other units (e.g., other conveyormechanisms, manual removal, etc.) as described herein.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may include a stop baron the back end of the front-end shelf conveyor. Such a stop bar may bea plate, wire, block, and/or any other element that may be moved up anddown flush with the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor. Inparticular, when the stop bar is positioned flush with the surface ofthe front-end shelf conveyor, cartons may freely move backwards off thefront-end shelf conveyor. However, when the stop bar is engaged, raised,rotated/pivoted/hinged up, or otherwise positioned to not be in a flushposition with the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor, cartons maybe blocked or prevented from moving backwards off of the front-end shelfconveyor. In this way, the stop bar may hold cartons when the front-endshelf conveyor is not level to the main body (or the conveying surfaceof various conveyors of the conveyor system) of the robotic cartonloader and may be lowered when the front-end shelf conveyor is above orparallel to the main body. When the front-end shelf conveyor is parallelto the main body, the front end shelf may be moved forward to allow thestop bar to rotate down to a level position. In the level position, thestop bar may bridge the gap between the conveying surfaces of thefront-end shelf conveyor and the main body to prevent articles fromfalling therebetween while being conveyed.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may include a roller(or “kicker” roller or “kick” roller) attached to the front of thefront-end shelf conveyor. For example, the roller may be similar to asdescribed herein with reference to roller 144. Such a roller may serveas a bumper when the front-end shelf conveyor is positioned under themanipulator of the robotic arm (e.g., manipulator 162, manipulator head3532, etc.) to receive product. Further, the roller may be used to pickcartons up off the floor. In some embodiments, the roller may includeone or more lobes (or flaps or ridges or corners) that may be rotated todisturb or otherwise move items. For example, when the roller isrotating, a lobe of the roller may swing up into contact with an article(e.g., a carton, box, etc.) on the unloading area floor. The carton maythus be lifted upwards and be drawn onto the roller and onto thefront-end shelf conveyor. The carton may then be conveyed to the rest ofthe conveyor system, such as onto a center conveyor section 3610 andthen a rear conveyor section 3612. In some embodiments, the roller maybe a hex-shape having points that form a plurality of lobes (e.g.,roller 194 having a hexagonal cross section). In some embodiments, theroller may include a single lobe, similar to an automotive cam lobe. Insome embodiments, the roller may be comprised of a hard material, suchas a metal and/or a plastic.

The following is a non-limiting illustration of a front-end shelfconveyor with a roller (or “kick” roller) and a stop bar. When therobotic arm is positioned forward to pick boxes in a carton wall thatare higher than rear conveyors of the robotic carton unloader, thefront-end shelf conveyor may be separately moved (via the supportmechanism) to just under the manipulator of the robotic arm. The rolleron the end of the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved into contactwith the carton wall to improve stability during picking. Themanipulator of the robotic arm may pull one or more boxes form thecarton wall, dragging and releasing the boxes onto the front-end shelfconveyor. The support mechanism may begin to cause the front-end shelfconveyor to move down to a position in line with other conveyors of therobotic carton unloader (e.g., center herringbone-type conveyors, etc.).Belt conveyors on the front-end shelf conveyor may be engaged, movingcartons backwards in a “V” formation (e.g., the boxes may move towardthe center of the front-end shelf conveyor as described with referenceto FIGS. 59A-59D). The stop bar may be engaged such that boxes that haveconveyed to the back of the front-end shelf conveyor may be stopped fromfalling off the front-end shelf conveyor. When the front-end shelfconveyor moves in line with the other conveyors, the stop bar may belowered, enabling the boxes to exit onto the other conveyors andcontinue to the rear of the robotic carton unloader.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be configured toreceive a plurality of cartons at a single time (from a single “pick” bya robotic arm's manipulator). For example, the front-end shelf conveyormay support approximately 350 pounds of boxes or other items at a time.In some embodiments, using the front-end shelf conveyor in combinationwith a robotic arm, a robotic carton unloader may be capable of moving asignificant number of items, enabling very efficient and fast unloadingprocedures in unloading areas. For example, the robotic carton unloadermay be capable of moving a low number of cartons per hour (e.g.,approximately 100 cartons/hr, etc.) to a relatively high number ofcartons per hour (e.g., up to approximately 1300 cartons/hr or more,etc.) based on different configurations of the components of the roboticcarton unloader (e.g., front-end shelf conveyor's conveyor speeds,etc.).

Embodiment front-end shelf conveyors described herein may improve thespeed and quality of carton removal from unloading areas. In particular,due to the adjustable height and positioning via support mechanisms,front-end shelf conveyors may be independently positioned close tocartons that are higher than conveyors of the robotic carton unloader.By decreasing the distance between robotic arm manipulators pulling thecartons and the conveyor surfaces onto which the cartons fall, suchfront-end shelf conveyors may decrease the number of damaged itemsduring unloading procedures.

In some embodiments, a robotic carton unloader for unloading a pluralityof cartons in a carton wall may be movable across a floor and mayinclude at least a mobile body, a movable robotic arm attached to themobile body and may include a manipulator at a free end thereof toremove the plurality of cartons from the carton wall, wherein therobotic arm is configured to move the manipulator to different positionsrelative to the mobile body to acquire the plurality of cartons, aconveyor system attached to the mobile body and configured to conveycartons deposited thereon, the conveyor system may include a front-endshelf conveyor mounted on the mobile body and configured to receive theplurality of cartons from the manipulator and provide the plurality ofcartons to other rear portions of the conveyor system, and the conveyorsystem may further include a support mechanism coupled to the mobilebody and configured to move the front-end shelf conveyor to at least afirst position beneath the manipulator to receive the plurality ofcartons removed therewith. In some embodiments, the front-end shelfconveyor may be further configured to simultaneously move the pluralityof cartons towards the rear portions of the conveyor system and tosingulate the cartons while the cartons move. In some embodiments, thesupport mechanism may be further configured to move the front-end shelfconveyor with the cartons received thereon from the first position to asecond position adjacent to the rear portions of the conveyor system. Insome embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be oriented parallelto the floor of the unloading area in response to being moved to thesecond position.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may include a kickroller configured to move cartons toward conveyors of the front-endshelf conveyor. In some embodiments, the kick roller may be furtherconfigured to stabilize the carton wall in response to the front-endshelf conveyor being moved to the first position. In some embodiments,the support mechanism may include a pedestal lift. In some embodiments,the support mechanism may include at least a scissor lift. In someembodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be moved within 18 inchesof the manipulator or a row of cartons addressed by the manipulator at agiven time in response to being moved to the first position by thesupport mechanism.

In some embodiments, the robotic carton unloader overall, and/or atleast the conveyor system of the robotic carton unloader, may beconfigured to move the plurality of cartons at a rate of approximately100 cartons/hour or greater, such as 100 cartons/hour, above a 100cartons/hour, between 100 cartons/hour and 1300 cartons/hour, 1300cartons/hour, above 1300 cartons/hour, etc. In some embodiments, thefront-end shelf conveyor may include a plurality of rows of conveyorsoriented side by side. In some embodiments, at least one of theconveyors in the plurality of rows of conveyors may be configured tomove a carton carried thereon at a different speed than other conveyorsin the plurality of rows of conveyors. In some embodiments, at least oneof the conveyors in the plurality of rows of conveyors may be configuredto move a carton traveling thereon rearwards and towards a center lineof the front-end shelf conveyor. In some embodiments, the conveyors inthe plurality of rows of conveyors may include belt conveyors. In someembodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be configured to movelaterally relative to the mobile body.

In some embodiments, the robotic carton unloader may include orotherwise be coupled to a computing device using at least a processorconfigured to execute processor-executable instructions. In someembodiments, the processor may be configured to execute a method tounload cartons from a carton wall within an unloading area, includingoperations for moving a mobile body of the robotic carton unloader tothe carton wall based on processed sensor data, positioning a roboticarm of the robotic carton unloader for gathering a row of cartons fromthe carton wall based on the processed sensor data, positioning afront-end shelf conveyor beneath the robotic arm, detecting cartons fromthe row of cartons on the front-end shelf conveyor, positioning thefront-end shelf conveyor to a common level as a central conveyor ofrobotic carton unloader, and configuring conveyor belts on the front-endshelf conveyor to move the cartons onto the central conveyor. In someembodiments, the method may further include operations for configuring astop bar to hold the cartons on the front-end shelf conveyor, andconfiguring the stop bar on the front-end shelf conveyor to lower suchthat the cartons can leave the front-end shelf conveyor and enter thecentral conveyor in response to positioning the front-end shelf conveyorto the common level as the central conveyor. In some embodiments, themethod may further include operations for configuring a kick roller onthe front of the front-end shelf conveyor to rotate such that cartonsfrom within the unloading area are caused to move onto the front-endshelf conveyor. In some embodiments, the method may further includeoperations for receiving and processing sensor data of the unloadingarea, wherein the sensor data includes one or more of radar sensor data,Lidar sensor data, and imagery from a camera sensor.

FIGS. 60A-60F illustrate exemplary operations of a robotic cartonunloader 6000 within an unloading area (e.g., a truck trailer, awarehouse, a shipping container, etc.). The robotic carton unloader 6000may include at least a robotic arm 6002, a mobile body 6008, andconveyor system 6005 including a front-end shelf conveyor 6012 and acenter conveyor 6006 (e.g., a central descrambler conveyor) according tosome embodiments. In some embodiments, rather than assembling therobotic carton unloader 6000 from three separate assemblies such as therobotic arm 6002, mobile body 6008, and conveyor system 6005, the threeseparate assemblies may share common parts that combine together into aunitary construction to reduce part count and weight.

As described herein, the robotic arm 6002 may include a manipulator head6004 that may include various components for pulling, grabbing, orotherwise “picking” items from a carton wall 6020. For example, themanipulator head 6004 may include vacuum heads for pulling boxes offvarious levels of a pile of boxes. The front-end shelf conveyor mayinclude a front kicker roller 6011 that may be extended from thefront-end shelf conveyor 6012 to contact cartons, or be retractedtowards the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 to move away from cartons ofthe carton wall 6020. Alternately, the front kicker roller 6011 may beplaced against the pile of boxes.

FIG. 60A illustrates a default or otherwise inactive state of therobotic carton unloader 6000 wherein the robotic arm 6002 is not yet inthe active process of removing items from the carton wall 6020. Further,the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 may be in a default position such thata front end (and the kick roller 6011) is resting on the floor of theunloading area. FIG. 60B illustrates the robotic carton unloader 6000with the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 raised to a horizontal position,such as by actuators. Further, the robotic arm 6002 may be moved (e.g.,rotated) such that the manipulator head 6004 is ready to pick (e.g.,pull, grab, etc.) cartons from the carton wall 6020. The front kickerroller 6011 of the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 may be in contact withthe carton wall 6020 to act as a bumper to stabilize the carton wall6020. The front kicker roller 6011 may also be rotated to kick cartonsupwards to loosen the carton wall 6020.

FIG. 60C illustrates a second raised position of the front-end shelfconveyor 6012 wherein a support mechanism 6024 (e.g., a scissors lift,etc.) raises the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 above the center conveyor6006. Further, the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 may be tilted (orpitched) up or down at the nose with actuators. FIG. 60D illustratesanother embodiment second raised position of the front-end shelfconveyor 6012 wherein a nose pitch actuator 6040 may be configured tocause the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 to be tipped up to receivecartons being grabbed by the manipulator head 6004. The nose pitchactuator 6040 may be considered a part of some embodiments of thesupport mechanism 6024. Further, auxiliary load wheels 6026 may beincluded within the support mechanism 6024.

FIG. 60E illustrates the support mechanism 6024 (e.g., a scissors lift,actuators, etc.) in a collapsed state, allowing the front-end shelfconveyor 6012 to be positioned at an angle with the floor of theunloading area. The kick roller 6011 may be used for plowing into andlifting cartons resting on the floor, such as the box 6021 which isshown lifted and moving onto front-end shelf conveyor 6012. FIG. 60Fillustrates the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 at a raised (or elevated)position and at an angle directly under the robotic arm 6002. Thefront-end shelf conveyor 6012 may also include a linear slide mechanism6050 that enables the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 to move side to sidewith relation to the mobile body 6008 and the robotic arm 6002. FIG. 61illustrates another view of the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 as well asthe linear slide mechanism 6050, the support mechanism 6024 (e.g.,scissor lift) and pitch actuators 6040 according to some embodiments.

FIG. 62A-62B illustrate an embodiment front-end shelf conveyor 6010 invarious positions. FIG. 62A illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor6010 a in a first position (e.g., a “full raised” position) suitable forreceiving items, such as those pulled by a manipulator head from higherportions of a carton wall (e.g., top box rows within a trailer). Thenose pitch actuator 6040 may be fully or significantly extended in orderto cause the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 a to be tilted, allowingitems placed on the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 a(i.e., on top of conveyors) to move towards the robotic carton unloaderand away from a carton wall. FIG. 62A also illustrates a “full down”position of the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 b such that the kickroller 6011 is angled downward. In some embodiments, the front-end shelfconveyor 6012 b may be capable of angling down such that the kick roller6011 may be located below the floor of an unloading area. For example,with reference to a pivot point 6075 near a tire of the robotic cartonunloader, the kick roller 6011 may be rotated downward from a defaultposition by a number of degrees 6080 (e.g., 2.93 degrees, etc.). FIG.62B illustrates another view of a front-end shelf conveyor 2010 in araised position (e.g., with extended nose pitch actuator 6040 andsupport mechanism 6024. In some embodiments, the support mechanism 6024(e.g., a scissor lift) may have a depth of approximately 20 inches.

FIGS. 63-79 illustrate components and uses of another exemplary roboticcarton unloader 6400 configured for unloading a plurality of cartonsfrom an unloading area (e.g., a truck, etc.) and for conveying theacquired cartons out of the unloading area according to someembodiments. Various components of the robotic carton unloader 6400 maybe similar to as described elsewhere herein. For example and as shown inFIG. 63, the robotic carton unloader 6400 may include a mobile body 6402with a robotic arm 6404 to acquire cartons located in front of therobotic carton unloader 6400. A manipulator head 6406 may be attached toa free end of the robotic arm 6404 and may be movable therewith toremove cartons, such as from a top row of a carton pile (or carton wall)and/or from the floor of the unloading area. A powered conveyor (e.g.,conveyor system 6405) may be attached to the robotic carton unloader6400 for conveying or moving acquired cartons thereon. The conveyorsystem 6405 may include a center conveyor 6414 as described herein, suchas a herringbone-type conveyor(s).

In some embodiments, the conveyor system 6405 may include an embodimentfront-end shelf conveyor 6412. The front-end shelf conveyor 6412 mayinclude one or more powered conveyors 6410 configured to move cartonsplaced thereon (e.g., move backwards towards the center or rear of therobotic carton unloader 6400). A support mechanism 6420 may be attachedto a front of mobile body 6402 (e.g., the chassis, etc.) and to thefront-end shelf conveyor 6412. The support mechanism 6420 may move andposition the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 relative to the roboticcarton unloader 6400. In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor6412 may include a front kicker roller 6011 that may be extended fromthe front-end shelf conveyor 6012 to contact cartons or be retractedtowards the front-end shelf conveyor 6012 to move away from cartons ofthe carton wall 6020. Alternately, support mechanism 6240 may beactuated to place the front kicker roller 6011 against cartons of thecarton wall 6020.

FIGS. 64A-64C illustrate operations of a robotic carton unloader 6400within an unloading area (e.g., a truck, warehouse, store, or cargocontainer, etc.) for unloading items (e.g., cartons 6451) using aconveyor system 6405 that includes a front-end shelf conveyor 6412according to various embodiments. The operations illustrated in FIGS.64A-64C may be similar to those of FIGS. 60A-60F except that thefront-end shelf conveyor 6412 may utilize a distinct support mechanism6420 including a pedestal lift 6430 as opposed to a scissor lift-typecomponent.

FIG. 64A illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 in a raisedposition, up and toward a carton wall 6450 within the unloading area.Such a raised movement may be accomplished based on the extension of apedestal lift 6430 of the support mechanism 6420. In particular, themovable support mechanism 6420 may include a pedestal lift 6430 thatextends and retracts to move the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 from adefault position to various other positions (e.g. the first position, asecond position, etc.).

FIG. 64B illustrates a manipulator head 6406 coupled to the robotic arm6404 of the robotic carton unloader 6400 unloading cartons from a toprow 6452 of the carton wall 6450. The front-end shelf conveyor 6412 maybe in the raised position such that the distance from the top row 6452to the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 (and the conveyorsthereon) is within a certain distance or drop threshold (e.g.,approximately 18 inches, etc.). The movable support mechanism 6420 maymove the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 to the first position adjacent tothe carton wall 6450 and below the top row 6452, such that kick rollers6416 of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be brought into contactwith the carton wall 6450 to stabilize the carton wall 6450. Forexample, the kick rollers 6416 may hold the carton wall 6450 in place ascartons 6451 are pulled from top row 6452 of the carton wall 6450 andonto the front-end shelf conveyor 6412. Such a raising movement may beaccomplished by extending the pedestal lift 6430 of the supportmechanism 6420.

FIG. 64C illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 in a secondposition wherein the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 is lowered via thesupport mechanism 6420 to be parallel and level to a conveying surfaceof the center conveyor 6414 (e.g., a center herringbone-type conveyor,etc.) of the conveyor system 6405. For example, once the cartons 6451are received onto the front-end shelf conveyor 6412, the movable supportmechanism 6420 may move the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 adjacent tothe center conveyor 6414. Such a lowering movement may be accomplishedby retracting the pedestal lift 6430 of the support mechanism 6420. Whenfront-end shelf conveyor 6412 is adjacent to the center conveyor 6414,both front and rear portions of the powered conveyor system 6405 mayactuate to convey cartons downstream from the front to the rear of therobotic carton unloader 6400. For example, the cartons 6451 may beconveyed towards the center conveyor 6414 of the conveyor system 6405after the support mechanism 6420 moves the front-end shelf conveyor 6412to the second position. From the rear of the robotic carton unloader6400, the cartons 6451 may be manually unloaded or conveyed out of theunloading area and into a warehouse or distribution center. Alternately,to speed conveyor throughput, the end shelf conveyor 6412 may be loweredvia the support mechanism 6420 to be above the conveying surface of thecenter conveyor 6414 by an amount less than thirty two inches. Cartons12 conveyed thereon may fall from the end shelf conveyor 6412 and ontothe conveying surface of the center conveyor 6414. To reduce breakage ofitems in cartons 12, the amount may be eighteen inches or less. Thefront-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be level or angled to drop cartonsonto the center conveyor 6414, and one example of a carton drop positionmay be seen in FIG. 60C.

FIGS. 65-66 illustrate further details of the pedestal lift 6430 of thesupport mechanism 6420. A base tube 6532 of the pedestal lift 6430 maybe pivotally attached to a pivot 6572 with a shaft and bearingarrangement on either side of the base tube 6532. In some embodiments, abase tang 6531 may extend from the base tube 6532 and pivotally attachto a pivot actuator 6534. Pivot actuator 6534 is pivotally attached tothe mobile body 6402 and the tang 6531 of base tube 6532. The pivotactuator 6534 may extend and retract to move the pivot base tube 6532and support mechanism 6420 in an arcuate (or curved) path about thepivot 6572. As the pivot actuator 6534 retracts, the front-end shelfconveyor 6412 may move in an arc away from the mobile body 6402, asillustrated in FIG. 65. As the pivot actuator 6534 extends as shown inFIG. 66, the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may move in an arc towardsthe mobile body 6402. In some embodiments, the pivot actuator 6534 maybe electric or fluidic. Fluidic actuators may include compressible andincompressible fluids, such as air and hydraulic fluids respectively.

FIGS. 67-69 illustrate detailed views of a pedestal lift 6430 of asupport mechanism 6420 according to some embodiments. With reference toFIG. 67, the pedestal lift 6430 may be depicted in an extendedconfiguration. The pedestal lift 6430 may include three tubular portionsextendably and retractably nested together. In particular, the base tube6532 may be hollow and may contain a hollow center tube 6736 nestedwithin with a first slide 6737 connecting between. An end tube 6738 maynest within the hollow of the center tube 6736 and may be connectedthereto with an extendable and retractable second slide 6739 therebetween. An extension actuator 6740 may extend and retract a column ofthe pedestal lift 6430. FIG. 68 illustrates a section view through allthree extended tubular portions (e.g., base tube 6532, center tube 6736,and, end tube 6738). The first slide 6737 may connect (or “slidingly”connect) between the base tube 6532 and the center tube 6736, and asecond slide 6839 may interconnect (or “slidingly” interconnect) betweenthe center tube 6736 and the end tube 6738. The first and second slides6737, 6839 may be conventional linear slides, and may include ballbearings.

With reference to FIG. 69, the extension actuator 6740 may attach to thehollow center tube 6736 and connect to a drive pulley 6942 positionedwithin the hollow of center tube 6736. A belt 6944 may wrap around thedrive pulley 6942 and an idler pulley 6946 where the section is throughthe base tube 6532 and center tube 6736. The idler pulley 6946 may besecured (or “rotatingly” secured) within the hollow center tube 6736 andmay rotate in response to activation of the extension actuator 6740. Abase clamp 6948 may clamp the belt 6944 to an inside of the hollow basetube 6532. A clamp bracket 6939 may extend from a side of the end tube6738, and a center clamp 6950 may clamp the belt 6944 thereto. As thedrive pulley 6942 rotates in a first direction, each of the base clamp6948 and the center clamp 6950 attached to the belt 6944 may movelinearly in opposite directions. Reversing the rotational direction ofthe drive pulley 6942 may reverse the linear directions of the baseclamp 6948. The base clamp 6948 and the center clamp 6950 may be limitedto moving between the drive pulley 6942 and the idler pulley 6946without contact therewith.

As shown in FIG. 69, the extension actuator 6440 may be actuated torotate the drive pulley 6942 counterclockwise and to move the centerclamp 6950 up to extend the attached first end tube 6738 as shown. Thissame rotational movement of the drive pulley 6942 may also pull thecenter tube 6736 up to the extended position shown. As the extensionactuator 6740 rotates to move the center tube 6736 up, the extensionactuator 6740 may lift itself upwards with the center tube 6736. In someembodiments, the extension actuator 6740 may be electrical or fluidic,and may include a gearbox. If fluidic, the extension actuator 6740 maybe actuated with one or more of a compressible gas or an incompressiblefluid, which may include air or hydraulic fluid respectively.

FIG. 70 illustrates a front-end shelf conveyor 6412 having a retractedpivoting pedestal lift 6430 according to some embodiments. As shown, theextension actuator 6740 may be rotated clockwise to collapse thepedestal lift 6430 and to nest the base tube 6532, the center tube 6736,and, the end tube 6738 together in the retracted position shown.Further, the center clamp 6950 may be moved down to a position adjacentto the idler pulley 6946 and the base clamp 6948 may be moved upwards toa position adjacent to the drive pulley 6942. As further shown, frontpivots 7072 may pivotally attach to a shaft 7060 extending from bothsides of the end tube 6738. A lateral actuator 7070 may attach to thefront pivots 7072, the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may attach to thelateral actuator 7070, and both may pivot therearound. An end tang 7066may extend from the end tube 6738 and a blade 7074 may extend from thelateral actuator 7070. The end actuator 7064 may pivotally attach to theend tang 7066 at a first end and to the blade 7074 at a second end. Theend actuator 7064 may be a linearly extending and contracting actuatorand may pivot the lateral actuator 7070 around the front pivots 7072 andshaft 7060.

FIG. 71A-71B illustrate a pivoting pedestal lift 6430 in variousconfigurations according to some embodiments. FIG. 71A illustrates thepedestal lift 6430 in a raised and angled configuration (e.g., with anend actuator extended to tip the front portion of the front-end shelfconveyor 6412). In particular, the end actuator 7064 may be extended,which may pivot the lateral actuator 7070 and the front-end shelfconveyor 6412 to the position shown. The pedestal lift 6430 may be fullyextended in FIG. 71A. FIG. 71B illustrates the pedestal lift 6430 in aretracted configuration, with an end actuator 7064 extended to tip thefront portion of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 and with the pivotactuator retracted. In particular, the end actuator 7064 may beextended, causing the pedestal lift 6430 to be retracted, and the pivotactuator 6534 may be retracted, thus moving the front-end shelf conveyor6412 to the angular position shown.

FIG. 72 illustrates a perspective, enlarged view of an underside of afront-end shelf conveyor 6412 having a lateral actuator 7070 pivotallymounted on an end of a pivoting pedestal lift 6430 according to someembodiments. In particular, the lateral actuator 7070 may be configuredto move the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 laterally relative to mobilebody 6402 of the robotic carton unloader. As shown in FIG. 72, the frontpivots 7072 may be rotatably mounted on the shaft 7060 of the end tube6738. The front pivots 7072 and the blade 7074 may be secured to thelower deck 7276 of the lateral actuator 7070. An upper deck 7278 may bemounted (or “slidably” mounted) to deck slides 7280 located between theupper deck 7278 and the lower deck 7276. A linear deck actuator 7282 maybe secured to the lower deck 7276 and may have a positionable extensionshaft 7284 attached at one end to a pusher plate 7286. The extensionshaft 7284 may expand or retract to position the front-end shelfconveyor 6412 laterally to either side. The pusher plate 7286 may besecured to the upper deck 7278 and may move the upper deck 7278 linearlyalong the deck slides 7280 in response to positioning and repositioningof the extension shaft 7284. In some embodiments, the linear deckactuator 7282 may be electrical or fluidic, and may include a gearbox.

In some embodiments, the front-end shelf conveyor may be configured tomove laterally (e.g., side to side) with respect to the mobile body androbotic arms of the robotic carton unloader. FIGS. 73A-73B illustratefront views of a front-end shelf conveyor 6412, wherein a front portionmay be attached to a lateral actuator 7070 in various positions (e.g.,central position, side-biased position) according to some embodiments.FIG. 73A illustrates a centered lateral position, wherein the pedestallift 6430 may be partially extended, and the lateral actuator 7070 andthe front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be both centered relative tomobile body 6402. FIG. 73B illustrates a configuration resulting fromwhen the linear deck actuator 7282 has retracted, moving the lateralactuator 7070 laterally to the position shown overhanging one side ofmobile body 6402. While not shown in FIG. 73B, the linear deck actuator7282 may extend to bias the lateral actuator 7070 and the front-endshelf conveyor 6412 to overhang the opposite side of mobile body 6402.FIG. 74A-74C further illustrate exemplary lateral movements of afront-end shelf conveyor 7402 according to some embodiments. Inparticular, FIG. 74A illustrates a center lateral position, FIG. 74Billustrates a left lateral position, and FIG. 74C illustrates a rightlateral position.

In various embodiments, front-end elements or front portions (e.g.,front-end descrambler, front-end shelf conveyor, etc.) of a roboticcarton unloader may include guide mechanisms to ensure cartons (e.g.,boxes, etc.) moving rearward on a conveyor system remain on conveyors.For example and as described herein, an embodiment front-end descrambler(e.g., front-end descrambler 3710, 4420) may include angled guides(e.g., components 3716 a, 3716 b or 4430 a, 4430 b) to guide items movedvia conveyors on the front-end descrambler onto center conveyors of theconveyor system (e.g., a center conveyor 4601, etc.). Such guides maytake various forms (e.g., wires, bars, plates, etc.) and may becomprised of various materials (e.g., plastic, metal, etc.). In someembodiments, such guides may be fixed at particular angles, such asfixed at certain degrees (e.g., 30 degrees, 45 degrees, etc.). However,in some embodiments, guides may be configured to be adjustable tocorrespond to movements of a front-end element to which the guides areaffixed. In particular, guides may be angled in response to lateralmovements of front-end shelf conveyors (or front-end descramblers). Forexample, when a front-end shelf conveyor is moved to the left or rightof a center conveyor of the robotic carton unloader, guides coupled tothe front-end shelf conveyor may be angled to better direct any cartonsmoving on the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor to the centerconveyor. In this way, cartons 12 exiting from the front-end shelfconveyor may be prevented from falling off of the front-end shelfconveyor and onto the floor.

FIGS. 75A-75C illustrate top views of exemplary guides 7530 a, 7530 bconfigured to adjust based on lateral movements of a exemplary front-endshelf conveyor 6412 of a robotic carton unloader according to someembodiments. Given different positions of the front-end shelf conveyor6412 with regard to a mobile body 6402 (and thus the rest of theconveyor system) of the robotic carton unloader, the guides 7530 a, 7530b may be angled to guide boxes 6502 toward the center of the mobile body6402. The dotted lines in FIGS. 75A-75C illustrate different angles ofthe guides 7530 a, 7530 b.

FIG. 75A illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 at a centeredposition with regard to the mobile body 6402 of the robotic cartonunloader. The guides 7530 a, 7530 b may be in a default position orangle to guide boxes 7502 to the center of the mobile body 6402. Forexample, the guides 7530 a, 7530 b may be angled in a symmetrical manner(e.g., left guide 7530 a angled at a degrees from a related pivot point,right guide 7530 b angled at −a degrees from a related pivot point,etc.). FIG. 75B illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 laterallyshifted to the right of the mobile body 6402 of the robotic cartonunloader. In response to the lateral movement to the right, the guides7530 a, 7530 b may be angled to assist a leftward movement of the boxes7502 toward the center of the mobile body 6402. For example, the leftguide 7530 a may be angled b degrees from a related pivot point (e.g.,at the b degrees angle, the left guide 7530 a may be almost straight (oralmost parallel with the conveyors of the front-end shelf conveyor6412)) and the right guide 7530 b may be angled −c degrees from arelated pivot point. FIG. 75C illustrates the front-end shelf conveyor6412 laterally shifted to the left of the mobile body 6402 of therobotic carton unloader. In response to the lateral movement to theleft, the guides 7530 a, 7530 b may be angled to assist a rightwardmovement of the boxes 7502 toward the center of the mobile body 6402.For example, the left guide 7530 a may be angled c degrees from arelated pivot point and the right guide 7530 b may be angled −b degreesfrom a related pivot point (e.g., at the −b degrees angle, the rightguide 7530 b may be almost straight (or almost parallel with theconveyors of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412)).

FIG. 76 illustrates a perspective view of components of an exemplaryrobotic carton unloader. As shown, a support mechanism 6420 coupled to amobile body 6402 of the robotic carton unloader may be configured tomove the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 laterally with respect to amobile body 6402. In response to such lateral movements, guides 7530 a,7530 b coupled to the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be angled atvarious angles to correspond with the lateral movements of the front-endshelf conveyor 6412. The guides 7530 a, 7530 b may be angled usingvarious manners (e.g., automatically via a motor, manually by a humanoperator, etc). For example and as shown in FIG. 76, endpoints 7606 a,7606 b of the guides 7530 a, 7530 b may be moveably coupled to a linkagethat positions the guides 7530 a, 7530 b in response to lateral movementof the front-end shelf conveyor 6412, or alternately to elements of atrack system that are driven by one or more motors affixed to the bottomof the front-end shelf conveyor 6412.

As described herein, some embodiment front-end elements (or frontportions) of a robotic carton unloader may include stop bars configuredto prevent (or allow) movement of cartons (e.g., boxes) off of thesurface of such front-end elements and onto other components of therobotic carton unloader (e.g., other, central conveyors of a conveyorsystem). For example, a stop bar may be plate or other structure thatmay be raised and lowered to control the movement of boxes on top of afront-end shelf conveyor. FIGS. 77A-77B illustrate perspective views ofcomponents of an exemplary robotic carton unloader including a stop bar7702 located at the back end of a front-end shelf conveyor 6412. Asdescribed herein, the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be moved (e.g.,elevated, lowered, etc.) by a support mechanism 6420 coupled to a mobilebody 6402 of the robotic carton unloader. Conveyors on the front-endshelf conveyor 6412 may be configured to move boxes 7502 toward acentral portion of the robotic carton unloader (e.g., a centralconveyor) may move the boxes 7502 toward the stop bar 7702. FIG. 77Aillustrates the stop bar 7702 rotated (or pivoted) up to a firstposition such that boxes 7502 may come into contact with the stop bar7702, thus stopping the boxes 7502 from being driven off the front-endshelf conveyor 6412. In some embodiments, the stop bar 7702 may berotated up to stop boxes 7502 in response to support mechanism 6420positioning the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 at an elevated positionwith regard to the mobile body 6402 (and thus the rest of the conveyorsystem of the robotic carton unloader). FIG. 77B illustrates the stopbar 7702 b rotated (or pivoted) down to a second position such thatboxes 7502 may not come into contact with the stop bar 7702 b, thusallowing the boxes 7502 to be driven off the front-end shelf conveyor6412. To speed up unloading, front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may belowered to a position above the conveying surface of the center conveyor6414 that provides clearance for the stop bar 7702 to rotate down (foran example, see FIG. 60C). As the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 is moveddownward with a fresh load of picked articles, the conveyors thereof maybe actuated to drive the articles rearwards into the stop bar 7702 andguides 7530 a, 7530 b. When at a safe drop height, the stop bar 7702 maybe rotated out of the way to stop bar position 7702 b enabling thebunched together articles 7502 to drop off of the front-end shelfconveyor 6412. The stop bar 7702 may be moved relative to the front-endshelf conveyor 6412 when the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 is angled orlevel. If the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 is angled with articlespressed against it, rotating the stop bar 7702 down may allow gravity toaccelerate the movement of articles off of the front-end shelf conveyor6412. Alternately, when the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 is pivoted toan angled position such as the position shown in FIG. 60C, the front-endshelf conveyor 6412 may act as a powered slide to improve throughput.Cartons picked from the carton pile may be rapidly picked, released ontothe inclined front-end shelf conveyor 6412, and rapidly conveyed downand away from the robotic arm 6002, 6404 etc. The angle and height ofthe front-end shelf conveyor 6412 may be varied as required as thecarton wall height is decreased by rapidly removing the upper row ofcartons. Carton throughput may be increased when the up and downmovements of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412 are substantiallyminimized, and the robotic arm 6002, 6404 doesn't have to wait for theshelf conveyor 6412 to move up and down when conveying cartons from thepick site to the conveying surface of the center conveyor 6412. Whenfront-end shelf conveyor 6412 is used as a powered slide, cartons maydrop a safe distance onto the front-end shelf conveyor 6412, or drop asafe distance onto the conveying surface of the center conveyor 6412.

FIG. 78 illustrates a detailed, perspective view of a stop bar 7702 of afront-end shelf conveyor 6412 according to some embodiments. The stopbar 7702 may be pivoted into various positions via various mechanisms.In some embodiments, the stop bar 7702 may be rotated (or pivoted) usingone or more toothed drum motors 7802 or a chain drive, such as throughthe use of clutches. A chain 7804 may be linked to a large drive motorunder the front-end shelf conveyor 6412. A belt of the front-end shelfconveyor 6412 is removed in FIG. 78 in order to show exemplarycomponents 7802, 7804.

As described herein, various front-end elements of exemplary roboticcarton unloaders may include kick rollers to help move cartons (e.g.,boxes) onto the conveyor system. FIG. 79 illustrates exemplary kickrollers 6416 of a front-end shelf conveyor 6412 according to someembodiments. The kick rollers 6416 may be driven via a chain drivelinked to internal motors of the robotic carton unloader (e.g., coupledto the bottom side of the front-end shelf conveyor 6412). For example, achain 7902 may be engaged by motors in order to drive the rotation ofthe kick roller 6416 in a backward direction in various speeds.

FIG. 80 illustrates an embodiment method 8000 for a processor of acomputing device to perform operations for controlling a robotic cartonunloader including a front-end shelf conveyor as described herein. Theoperations of the method 8000 may be performed via a processor of acontrol and visualization system as described herein, such as a controlsystem connected to or included within a robotic carton unloader that isconfigured to automatically control the various components of therobotic carton unloader, such as movement of the mobile body (e.g.,driving forward/backward/sideways, braking, etc.), the conveyor system(e.g., manipulating the angle and/or position of the front-end shelfconveyor, adjusting speeds of various conveyor belts, etc.), dataacquisition and processing via sensors, and the robotic arm (e.g.,positioning and activating manipulator head(s), etc.). In someembodiments, the method 8000 may be performed along with operations ofother routines as described herein, such as in combination with anycombinations of operations of the method 3300 described with referenceto FIG. 34. In some embodiments, one or more components as described inFIG. 81 may be utilized to implement or otherwise perform the operationsof the method 8000. For example, a programmable logic controller (e.g.,PLC 8118) and a vision system 8126 (or visualization system) may be usedin combination with other components, modules, and/or otherfunctionalities of a robotic carton unloader to control a front-endshelf conveyor, stop bar mechanism, and/or kick rollers to catch orotherwise receive cartons for conveying rearward.

In block 8002, the processor of the computing device may receive andprocess sensor data (e.g., radar, Lidar, video, etc.) of an unloadingarea with a carton wall. For example, the processor may continually orintermittently (e.g., on-demand as sensors are activated by theprocessor) receive sensor data from one or more sensors coupled to thecomputing device, such as image data, Lidar data, radar data, etc.Various sensors may be used by robotic carton unloaders, such ascameras, Lidar, radars, motion detectors, microphones, etc. In someembodiments, the processing of the received data may include image andother data processing operations such as described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/730,926 filed Jun. 4, 2015, entitled “TruckUnloader Visualization”, the entire contents of which are incorporatedby reference herein. For example, the processor may process image datain order to identify a wall of individual boxes (or other items) thatmay be unloaded from a truck. In some embodiments, the processor mayutilize a single image of a carton wall for each picking iteration. Forexample, based on a single analysis of image data of a carton wall(e.g., identifying edges, detected tilted boxes and/or gaps, estimatingdistances, etc.), the processor may cause the robotic carton unloader toretrieve all boxes from the carton wall with reassessing new imagery. Insome embodiments, the processor may utilize a single image of a cartonwall for each row of cartons from the carton wall. For example, theprocessor may generate new imagery and analysis before removing cartonsfrom each successive row within the unloading area.

In block 8004, the processor of the computing device may move a roboticcarton unloader vehicle to the carton wall based on the processed sensordata. For example, the processor may generate and execute commands forcausing the vehicle (or mobile body) of the robotic carton unloader tosafely enter the back of a tractor trailer, a loading bay, or any otherunloading area. In block 8006, the processor of the computing device mayposition the robotic arm for gathering a next row of cartons (e.g.,boxes) from a carton wall based on the processed sensor data. In someembodiments, the operations of block 8006 may include some or all of theoperations to move the manipulator head of the robotic arm as describedwith reference to blocks 3302-3318 of FIG. 33.

In block 8008, the processor of the computing device may position thefront-end shelf conveyor beneath the robotic arm. For example, theprocessor may generate and execute commands for causing the front-endshelf conveyor to be raised via a support mechanism as described herein(e.g., using a pedestal lift, scissor lifts, etc.). The positioning mayinclude vertical movements (e.g., raising or lowering the front-endshelf conveyor), lateral movements (e.g., sliding the front-end shelfconveyor to the right, left, or center), and/or tilting the front-endshelf conveyor (e.g., tipping forward or backward). In variousembodiments, the position of the front-end shelf conveyor may bedirectly below (e.g., within ˜18 inches) of the bottom of themanipulator head of the robotic arm and/or the current row of the cartonwall being unloaded by the manipulator head).

In block 8010, the processor of the computing device may configure astop bar to hold cartons on the front-end shelf conveyor. For example,the processor may generate and execute a command causing a bar at theback end (e.g., away from the carton wall) to raise such that any boxestraveling backwards on the conveyor belts of the front-end shelfconveyor may not be capable of falling off the surface of the front-endshelf conveyor. In block 8011, the processor of the computing device mayconfigure a kick roller to rotate. For example, the processor maygenerate and execute a command to cause the kick roller to begin turningsuch that lobes, edges, and/or other protrusions of the kick roller maycome into contact with boxes on the carton wall (and/or on the floor ofthe unloading area), causing the boxes to be bumped upwards andpotentially moved onto the surface of the front-end shelf conveyor. Insome embodiments, the kick roller may be selectively activated oralternatively may be continually activated once the robotic cartonunloader has been moved within the unloading area.

In block 8012, the processor of the computing device may detect cartons(e.g., boxes) from the current row of cartons of the carton wall on thefront-end shelf conveyor. For example, based on image processing, motiondetection, and/or other presence data, the processor may determine oneor more boxes has been placed on the front-end shelf conveyor due to theactions of the manipulator head of the robotic arm and/or the kickroller (e.g., boxes coming from the floor of the unloading area). Inblock 8014, the processor of the computing device may configure theconveyor belts on the front-end shelf conveyor to move the cartons. Insome embodiments, the conveyor belts of the front-end shelf conveyorand/or other conveyor belts or sections of the conveyor system of therobotic carton unloader (e.g., herringbone center conveyor, etc.) may beconfigured to operate at variable speeds. Further, various conveyors maybe configured to enable various carton throughputs, such as 100 cartonsper hour, 1000 cartons per hour, or 1300 cartons per hour. In someembodiments, the conveyor belts on the surface of the front-end shelfconveyor may be selectively activated or alternatively may becontinually activated once the robotic carton unloader has been movedwithin the unloading area.

In block 8016, the processor of the computing device may position thefront-end shelf conveyor to a same level as a central conveyor of theconveyor system of the robotic carton unloader. For example, theprocessor may generate and execute commands for causing the front-endshelf conveyor to be raised (or lowered) with that the surface of thefront-end shelf conveyor is parallel and adjacent to one or more centerherringbone conveyor(s) running underneath the robotic arm andconfigured to move boxes to the rear of the robotic carton unloader. Inblock 8018, the processor of the computing device may configure the stopbar to lower, allowing the cartons to leave the front-end shelf conveyorand enter the rest of the conveyor system of the robotic carton unloader(e.g., go onto the central conveyor). The processor may then continuewith the sensor data gathering and processing operations in block 8002.

FIG. 81 illustrates exemplary components of a robotic carton unloader8101 suitable for use in various embodiments. The robotic cartonunloader 8101 may include an external monitor 8102, a network interfacemodule 8104, an HMI module 8106, an input/output module (I/O module8108), an actuators/distance sensors module 8110, a robotic arm and aconveyor system 8115 that includes a drives/safety module 8112 and amotion module 8114, a programmable logic controller (or PLC 8118), abase motion module 8120 that includes a vehicle controller module 8122and a manual control module 8124, and a vision system 8126 (orvisualization system) that may include one or more computing devices8128 (or “PCs”) and sensor devices 8130. In some embodiments, visionsystem 8126 of the robotic carton unloader 8101 may include a PC 8128connected to each sensor device 8130. In embodiments in which more thanone sensor device 8130 is present on the robotic carton unloader 8101,the PCs 8128 for each sensor device 8130 may be networked together andone of the PC's 8128 may operate as a master PC 8128 receiving data fromthe other connected PC's 8128, may perform data processing on thereceived data and its own data (e.g., coordinate transformation,duplicate elimination, error checking, etc.), and may output thecombined and processed data from all the PCs 8128 to the PLC 8118. Insome embodiments, the network Interface module 8104 may not have a PLCinline between it and the PC 8128, and the PLC 8118 may serve as theVehicle Controller and/or Drives/Safety system.

The robotic carton unloader 8101 may connect to remote locations orsystems with a network interface module 8104 (e.g., a Wi-Fi® radio,etc.) via a network 8103, such as a local area Wi-Fi® network. Inparticular, the network interface module 8104 may enable the roboticcarton unloader 8101 to connect to an external monitor 8102. Theexternal monitor 8102 may be anyone of a remote warehouse ordistribution center control room, a handheld controller, or a computer,and may provide passive remote viewing through the vision system 8126 ofthe robotic carton unloader 8101. Alternately, the external monitor 8102may override the programming inherent in the vision system 8126 andassume active command and control of the robotic carton unloader 8101.Programming for the robotic carton unloader 8101 may also becommunicated, operated and debugged through external systems, such asthe external monitor 8102. Examples of an external monitor 8102 thatassumes command and control may include a remotely located humanoperator or a remote system, such as a warehouse or distribution serversystem (i.e., remote device as described above). Exemplary embodimentsof using an external monitor 8102 to assume command and control of therobotic carton unloader 8101 may include human or computer interventionin moving the robotic carton unloader 8101, such as from one unloadingbay to another, or having the external monitor 8102 assume control ofthe robotic arm to remove an item (e.g., box, carton, etc.) that isdifficult to unload with autonomous routines. The external monitor 8102may include any of: a visual monitor, a keyboard, a joystick, an I/Oport, a CD reader, a computer, a server, a handheld programming device,or any other device that may be used to perform any part of the abovedescribed embodiments.

The robotic carton unloader 8101 may include a human machine interfacemodule 8106 (or HMI module 8106) that may be used to control and/orreceive output information for the robot arm and conveyor system 8115and/or the base motion module 8120. The HMI module 8106 may be used tocontrol (or may itself include) a joystick, a display, and a keypad thatmay be used for re-programming, over-riding the autonomous control ofthe machine, and driving the robotic carton unloader 8101 from point topoint. The actuators 8110 that may be actuated individually or in anycombination by the vision system 8126, and the distance sensors may beused to assist in guiding the robotic carton unloader 8101 into anunloaded area (e.g., a trailer). The I/O module 8108 may connect theactuators and distance sensors 8110 to the PLC 8118. The robotic arm andconveyor system 8115 may include all components needed to move the armand/or the conveyor, such as drives/engines and motion protocols orcontrols. The base motion module 8120 may be the components for movingthe entirety of the robotic carton unloader 8101. In other words, thebase motion module 8120 may be the components needed to steer thevehicle into and out of unloading areas.

The PLC 8118 that may control the overall electromechanical movements ofthe robotic carton unloader 8101 or control exemplary functions, such ascontrolling the robotic arm or a conveyor system 8115. For example, thePLC 8118 may move the manipulator head of the robotic arm into positionfor obtaining items (e.g., boxes, cartons, etc.) from a wall of items.As another example, the PLC 8118 may control the activation, speed, anddirection of rotation of kick rollers (e.g., kick rollers 6416 in FIGS.64A, 79), the position (or pivot) of a stop bar (e.g., stop bar 7702 inFIG. 78), and/or various adjustments of a support mechanism (e.g.,support mechanism 6024 in FIG. 60B, support mechanism 6420 in FIG. 64A)configured to move a front-end shelf conveyor (e.g., front-end shelfconveyor 6412). The PLC 8118 and other electronic elements of the visionsystem 8126 may mount in an electronics box (not shown) located under aconveyor, adjacent to a conveyor, or elsewhere on the robotic cartonunloader 8101. The PLC 8118 may operate all or part of the roboticcarton unloader 8101 autonomously and may receive positional informationfrom the distance sensors 8110. The I/O module 8108 may connect theactuators and the distance sensors 8110 to the PLC 8118.

The robotic carton unloader 8101 may include a vision system 8126 thatcomprises sensor devices 8130 (e.g., cameras, microphones, 3D sensors,etc.) and one or more computing device 8128 (referred to as a personalcomputer or “PC” 8128). The robotic carton unloader 8101 may use thesensor devices 8130 and the one or more PC 8128 of the vision system8126 to scan in front of the robotic carton unloader 8101 in real timeor near real time. The forward scanning may be triggered by the PLC 8118in response to determining the robotic carton unloader 8101, such as atrigger sent in response to the robotic carton unloader 8101 being inposition to begin detecting cartons in an unloading area. The forwardscanning capabilities may be used for collision avoidance, sent to thehuman shape recognition (safety), sizing unloaded area (e.g., the truckor trailer), and for scanning the floor of the unloaded area for looseitems (e.g., cartons, boxes, etc.). The 3D capabilities of the visionsystem 8126 may also provide depth perception, edge recognition, and maycreate a 3D image of a wall of items (or carton pile). The vision system8126 may operate alone or in concert with the PLC 8118 to recognizeedges, shapes, and the near/far distances of articles in front of therobotic carton unloader 8101. For example the edges and distances ofeach separate carton in the wall of items may be measured and calculatedrelative to the robotic carton unloader 8101, and vision system 8126 mayoperate alone or in concert with the PLC 8118 to may select specificcartons for removal.

In some embodiments, the vision system 8126 may provide the PLC withinformation such as: specific XYZ coordinate locations of cartonstargeted for removal from the unloading area, and one or more movementpaths for the robotic arm or the mobile body of the robotic cartonunloader 8101 to travel. The PLC 8118 and the vision system 8126 maywork independently or together such as an iterative move and visualcheck process for carton visualization, initial homing, and motionaccuracy checks. The same process may be used during vehicle movement,or during carton removal as an accuracy check. Alternatively, the PLC8118 may use the move and visualize process as a check to see whetherone or more cartons have fallen from the carton pile or repositionedsince the last visual check. While various computing devices and/orprocessors in FIG. 81, such as the PLC 8118, vehicle controller 8122,and PC 8128, have been described separately, in the various embodimentsdiscussed in relation to FIG. 81 and all the other embodiments describedherein, the described computing devices and/or processors may becombined and the operations described herein performed by separatecomputing devices and/or processors may be performed by less computingdevices and/or processors, such as a single computing device orprocessor with different modules performing the operations describedherein. As examples, different processors combined on a single circuitboard may perform the operations described herein attributed todifferent computing devices and/or processors, a single processorrunning multiple threads/modules may perform operations described hereinattributed to different computing devices and/or processors, etc.

As used herein, processors may be any programmable microprocessor,microcomputer or multiple processor chip or chips that can be configuredby software instructions (applications) to perform a variety offunctions, including the functions of the various embodiments describedabove. In the various devices, multiple processors may be provided, suchas one processor dedicated to wireless communication functions and oneprocessor dedicated to running other applications. Typically, softwareapplications may be stored in the internal memory before they areaccessed and loaded into the processors. The processors may includeinternal memory sufficient to store the application softwareinstructions. In many devices the internal memory may be a volatile ornonvolatile memory, such as flash memory, or a mixture of both. For thepurposes of this description, a general reference to memory refers tomemory accessible by the processors including internal memory orremovable memory plugged into the various devices and memory within theprocessors.

The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams areprovided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to requireor imply that the steps of the various embodiments must be performed inthe order presented. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the artthe order of steps in the foregoing embodiments may be performed in anyorder. Words such as “thereafter,” “then,” “next,” etc. are not intendedto limit the order of the steps; these words are simply used to guidethe reader through the description of the methods. Further, anyreference to claim elements in the singular, for example, using thearticles “a,” “an” or “the” is not to be construed as limiting theelement to the singular.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans mayimplement the described functionality in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentinvention.

The hardware used to implement the various illustrative logics, logicalblocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with theembodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with ageneral purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmablegate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate ortransistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combinationthereof designed to perform the functions described herein. Ageneral-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but, in thealternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration. Alternatively, some steps or methods may be performed bycircuitry that is specific to a given function.

In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may beimplemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof.If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on ortransmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a non-transitoryprocessor-readable, computer-readable, or server-readable medium or anon-transitory processor-readable storage medium. The steps of a methodor algorithm disclosed herein may be embodied in a processor-executablesoftware module or processor-executable software instructions which mayreside on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, anon-transitory server-readable storage medium, and/or a non-transitoryprocessor-readable storage medium. In various embodiments, suchinstructions may be stored processor-executable instructions or storedprocessor-executable software instructions. Tangible, non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media may be any available media that may beaccessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, suchnon-transitory computer-readable media may comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM,CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or othermagnetic storage devices, or any other medium that may be used to storedesired program code in the form of instructions or data structures andthat may be accessed by a computer. Disk and disc, as used herein,includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatiledisc (DVD), floppy disk, and Blu-Ray® disc where disks usually reproducedata magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofnon-transitory computer-readable media. Additionally, the operations ofa method or algorithm may reside as one or any combination or set ofcodes and/or instructions on a tangible, non-transitoryprocessor-readable storage medium and/or computer-readable medium, whichmay be incorporated into a computer program product.

The foregoing description of an embodiment has been presented forpurposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the aboveteachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to bestillustrate the principles of the invention and its practical applicationto thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize theinvention in various embodiments and with various modifications as aresuited to the particular use contemplated. Although only a limitednumber of embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited in its scope to thedetails of construction and arrangement of components set forth in thepreceding description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention iscapable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out invarious ways. Also, in describing the embodiment, specific terminologywas used for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that eachspecific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in asimilar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

What is claimed:
 1. A robotic carton unloader for unloading cartons in acarton pile, the robotic carton unloader movable across a floor, therobotic carton unloader comprising: a mobile body; a movable robotic armattached to the mobile body and comprising an end effector at an endthereof, the end effector configured to unload cartons from the cartonpile; a conveyor system having a front portion, the conveyor systemconfigured to convey cartons deposited thereon by the moveable roboticarm; and a lift attached to the mobile body and the front portion of theconveyor system, the lift configured to move the front portion of theconveyor system relative to the floor, wherein the front portion of theconveyor system is a front-end shelf conveyor having one or more kickrollers operatively attached across a nose of the front-end shelfconveyor for interacting with cartons during the unloading thereof. 2.The robotic carton unloader of claim 1 wherein the one or more kickrollers are operably coupled to a motor of the robotic carton unloaderto rotate the one or more kick rollers of the front-end shelf conveyor.3. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 wherein the one or more kickrollers are operatively coupled to the motor by a chain drive.
 4. Therobotic carton unloader of claim 3 wherein the one or more kick rollersare operatively coupled to more than one chain drive with each chaindrive operably engaged with one or more kick rollers.
 5. The roboticcarton unloader of claim 3 wherein the motor is an internal motorcoupled to a bottom side of the front-end shelf conveyor
 6. The roboticcarton unloader of claim 3 wherein the internal motor is configured todrive the rotation of the one or more kick rollers in a backwarddirection in various speeds to cause cartons within the unloading areato move onto the front-end shelf conveyor.
 7. The robotic cartonunloader of claim 2 wherein when the one or more kick rollers arerotating and in contact with the carton wall, the one or more rotatingkick rollers are configured to kick cartons upwards to loosen a cartonwall of the carton pile.
 8. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2further comprising a PLC operatively engaged with the motor andconfigured to control one or more of an activation, a speed, and arotation of one or more of the one or more kick rollers.
 9. The roboticcarton unloader of claim 8 wherein the PLC is configured to execute acommand to cause the one or more kick rollers to begin turning when incontact with a carton wall of the carton pile causing contacted cartonsto be bumped upwards and moved onto a conveying surface of the front-endshelf conveyor.
 10. The robotic carton unloader of claim 8 wherein thePLC is configured to execute a command to cause the one or more kickrollers to begin turning when ploughed into contact with cartons on thefloor, the rotating one or more kick rollers causing contacted cartonson the floor to be bumped upwards and moved onto a conveying surface ofthe front-end shelf conveyor.
 11. The robotic carton unloader of claim 8wherein the PLC is configured to execute a command to cause the one ormore kick rollers to be stationary when in contact with a carton wall ofthe carton pile to stabilize a carton wall of the carton pile.
 12. Therobotic carton unloader of claim 8 wherein the PLC is configured toselectively activate one or more kick rollers.
 13. The robotic cartonunloader of claim 12 wherein the PLC is configured to continuallyactivate internal motors engaged with one or more of the kick rollersonce the robotic carton unloader has been moved within the unloadingarea.
 14. The robotic carton unloader of claim 2 wherein the one or morekick rollers comprise protrusions on an exterior of the one or more kickrollers, and when the one or more kick rollers are rotating and theprotrusions contact cartons, the protrusions bump the cartons upwardsand onto the front-end shelf conveyor.
 15. The robotic carton unloaderof claim 14 wherein the protrusion is a lobe.
 16. The robotic cartonunloader of claim 14 wherein the protrusions form a hex shape.
 17. Therobotic carton unloader of claim 14 wherein the protrusion is a flap.18. The robotic carton unloader of claim 14 wherein the protrusion is aridge.
 19. The robotic carton unloader of claim 14 wherein theprotrusion is a corner.
 20. The robotic carton unloader of claim 14wherein the protrusion is a hard material.
 21. The robotic cartonunloader of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more of therotatable kick rollers are configured to extend from the front-end shelfconveyor to contact cartons.
 22. The robotic carton unloader of claim 1wherein at least one of the one or more of the rotatable kick rollersare configured to retract towards the front-end shelf conveyor to moveaway from the cartons.
 23. The robotic carton unloader of claim 1wherein the lift is a support configured to place the one or more frontkick rollers against cartons of a carton wall of the carton pile.